China’s special envoy for Afghanistan has begun visits to Kabul and Islamabad to mediate between the two countries, as cross-border clashes continue following Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghanistan in February.
At least 42 people have been killed and 104 wounded in fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistan, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said on Tuesday. The latest death toll figures come as fighting between the two neighbours enters its sixth day.
Pakistani air strikes hit a weapons depot on the western outskirts of Kabul overnight, triggering hours of secondary explosions that rattled homes across the Afghan capital and left residents fearing further violence.
Pakistan’s declaration of an “open war” with Afghanistan must be understood in the context of months of escalating violence, regional analysts have said, describing the latest developments as a significant shift in the nature of the conflict.
Thailand and Cambodia both reported fresh clashes on Wednesday, as the two sides prepared to hold military talks aimed at easing tensions along their shared border.
The Taliban leadership in Afghanistan opted out of a major regional meeting held in Iran’s capital Tehran on Sunday.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has dissolved parliament, paving the way for snap elections as early as February, following a rift with the opposition People’s Party and amid rising political turmoil and ongoing border clashes with Cambodia.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve their tensions through dialogue and engagement.
Fighting between Thailand and Cambodia entered into a third day on Wednesday as U.S. President Donald Trump said he would make a phone call to stop the conflict.
Pakistan and Afghanistan exchanged heavy fire along their shared border late on Friday, a reminder of how sensitive the frontier remains despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to extend their 48-hour ceasefire until the conclusion of peace talks expected to begin on Saturday in Doha, Qatar, following days of border clashes.
Afghanistan’s foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi has said that certain groups in Pakistan are working to harm relations between Kabul and Islamabad.
South Sudan and Uganda have agreed to establish a 14-member joint investigation committee to probe recent border clashes that left six people dead, a South Sudanese army spokesperson said on Sunday.
Jordan’s armed forces said they killed two armed people during a foiled infiltration attempt from Syria on Friday, pushing the rest of the group back across the border.
Tensions rise along the Lebanon-Syria border after the abduction and killing of Syrian security forces. Syria accuses Hezbollah of orchestrating the attack, while the group denies involvement. Diplomatic efforts to resolve the situation are underway.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
