Dateline: LAL PUR, Afghanistan / PESHAWAR, Pakistan, March 4
Residents living along the volatile border between Pakistan and Afghanistan say they are considering fleeing their homes as intense shelling and explosions continued for a seventh consecutive day on Wednesday.
The renewed fighting marks the most serious escalation in years between the South Asian neighbors, once allies but now increasingly at odds. The latest clashes follow Pakistani airstrikes on major Afghan cities last week, a move that has sharply heightened tensions across the frontier.
The situation has added to instability in a region already unsettled by ongoing U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, further raising fears of wider unrest.
Islamabad has defended its actions, stating that the airstrikes — some of which reportedly targeted installations linked to the Taliban government — were aimed at halting Afghan support for militant groups accused of carrying out attacks inside Pakistan.
The Taliban administration has denied providing assistance or sanctuary to militant organizations, rejecting Islamabad’s allegations.
With cross-border artillery fire and aerial bombardment continuing, residents on both sides of the frontier say uncertainty and fear are growing, prompting many families to weigh the possibility of displacement if the violence intensifies further.
