Pakistani forces and Taliban fighters in Afghanistan exchanged heavy gunfire over the weekend along their border, marking the deadliest conflict between them since the Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021.
Both Pakistani officials and the Afghan Taliban claim to have inflicted heavy losses on the opposing side.
Pakistan's government has long claimed that the Afghan Taliban are sheltering militants belonging to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which is responsible for carrying out deadly attacks inside Pakistan.
The Taliban rulers in Afghanistan deny these claims.
The latest conflict erupted after Pakistan allegedly launched air strikes against TTP militants inside Afghanistan earlier last week.
Then on Friday, October 10, the TTP carried out a series of attacks that killed scores of Pakistani security officials.
Analysts believe the Islamabad-Taliban conflict could have far-reaching implications for the volatile region with a heavy presence of Islamist groups.
Both Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban have sealed multiple border crossings that are vital for cross-border trade and people's movement.
The latest military escalation might not result in a full-blown war between the two neighbors, but for people already reeling from militant attacks, it threatens to usher in yet another era of volatility and instability.