Heavy clashes erupted along the Durand Line between Pakistan and Afghanistan between 6:36 PM and 9:36 PM UTC on October 11th, 2025, with both sides engaging in artillery and aerial bombardments. During this three-hour period, reports emerged of a Pakistani jet being shot down over the Durand Line, and the Afghan Taliban announced the cessation of retaliatory operations after claiming to have destroyed Pakistani military posts. The conflict escalated following alleged Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan territory. According to multiple sources, the Afghan Taliban initiated retaliatory operations against Pakistan, targeting numerous border security outposts. Pakistan responded with heavy artillery, tanks, and aerial assets. The Afghan Ministry of Defense announced the conclusion of its retaliatory operations, warning Pakistan against future aggression, while a Pakistan border officer reported three Pakistani soldiers killed and five wounded, with significant casualties among Afghan Taliban and TTP forces. The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) also reportedly joined the clashes, attacking a Pakistani military position. Amidst the intense fighting, which reportedly occurred at multiple points along the border including the Brambcha sector and Kurram district, Pakistan's Defence Ministry reportedly called the Afghan Defence Minister to propose a ceasefire and negotiations, but the call was cut off. Saudi Arabia expressed concern over the border clashes, urging restraint and dialogue, and reaffirmed its support for regional peace but clarified that its new defense pact only covers operations against Houthis, not a war against Afghanistan. Reports indicate significant damage to border infrastructure, with claims of multiple Pakistani military posts being captured or destroyed by Afghan forces, and conversely, Afghan posts being destroyed by Pakistani artillery. A civilian was reportedly killed in Kurram district by mortar shelling attributed to the Afghan Taliban. Pakistan's Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned alleged indiscriminate firing on civilian populations by Afghan forces, calling it a violation of international law. Pakistan's Ministry of Interior stated that its security forces were responding to unprovoked aggression, targeting TTP and ISKP positions inside Afghanistan that they claim are given safe havens by the Afghan side. There were unconfirmed reports of an Afghan Taliban airstrike on Lahore using Super Tucano attack jets. Pakistan Air Force jets were observed operating over Khost and Paktika provinces in Afghanistan, conducting targeted strikes. Earlier in the reporting window, around 6:36 PM UTC, initial reports indicated small arms fire escalating to heavy artillery along the Gavi-Kurram border. The Afghan Taliban had claimed responsibility for earlier attacks on Pakistani border outposts, stating they were in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes. Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had previously raised concerns regarding elements of an India-Afghanistan joint statement and remarks by the Afghan Acting Foreign Minister in India.
