Dozens of soldiers and civilians were killed in fierce clashes along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border as Islamabad launched retaliatory airstrikes on Kabul and Kandahar, officials and local sources said Wednesday.

The latest outbreak of violence — among the deadliest cross-border confrontations in years — prompted both sides to declare a 48-hour ceasefire by Wednesday evening.

Pakistan’s military accused the Afghan Taliban of launching “unprovoked fire” on major border posts near Kurram district and the Chaman–Spin Boldak crossing on Tuesday night. It said the army responded with mortar and drone strikes, killing around 20 Taliban fighters.

Security sources confirmed that the Pakistani air force also carried out strikes on Taliban positions in Kandahar province, where the clashes reportedly began, and on targets in Kabul.

Images from the area showed significant damage to the “friendship gate” at the Chaman–Spin Boldak border, which remained closed throughout the day. Hundreds of residents fled nearby Pakistani villages overnight amid heavy firing and drone attacks that continued into the morning.

In Kandahar, witnesses said many people in border areas had also evacuated. The Taliban claimed Pakistan’s strikes killed more than a dozen civilians and that its fighters had captured several Pakistani border posts — allegations Islamabad dismissed as “outrageous and blatant lies.”

Heavy casualties were reported near the Pakistani city of Chaman, which bore the brunt of Afghan shelling. Local resident Naqeeb Ullah described the night as “terrifying,” saying, “All our doors and windows were shaking from the impact. A nearby school was destroyed, and several civilians were killed, including a child.”

The clashes have pushed the two neighbours — once considered close allies — to their lowest point in years, raising fears of wider regional instability.

Pakistan has long maintained ties with the Afghan Taliban but has recently accused Kabul of harboring members of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the group blamed for a surge in deadly attacks across Pakistan. Kabul denies providing shelter or support to the TTP.

Last week, Pakistan was accused of carrying out strikes inside Afghanistan, believed to target TTP camps, while the Taliban retaliated with extensive firing over the weekend.

The renewed fighting erupted again on Tuesday night in Kurram district, with residents describing hours of cross-border shelling and mortar fire.

By Wednesday night, both sides agreed to a temporary ceasefire effective from 6pm, with Pakistan’s foreign ministry confirming that dialogue would continue to seek “a positive solution to this complex but solvable issue.”