Intense fighting broke out between Afghan and Pakistani forces on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, marking one of the most serious escalations in recent years.
According to reports from the Afghan side, 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed during night operations, and 25 border posts were captured. Pakistani authorities confirm the deaths of 23 of their soldiers and claim significant losses on the Afghan side, exceeding 200 people.
Pakistan cites air strikes on its targets in Kabul and eastern Afghanistan, including strikes on suspected Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) positions, as the cause of the conflict. The Afghan side claims that in response to repeated violations of its airspace by Pakistan, it launched an operation to capture border positions.
As a result of the intensification of fighting, the Pakistani authorities closed key border crossings — Torkham and Chaman, as well as a number of smaller border crossings.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed a strategic mutual defense agreement, under which an attack on one country will be considered an attack on both.
The agreement is called the Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement. It was signed on September 17, 2025, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It was signed by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The key provision of the agreement is that “any aggression against one party will be considered aggression against both.” The document does not explicitly mention the use of nuclear weapons or specific military assets, but it states that the agreement covers all defense and military means that the parties deem necessary depending on the threat.
The signing took place against a backdrop of heightened regional tensions, particularly following Israeli airstrikes on Qatar and concerns among Arab states about the reliability of US protection. The long-standing relationship between the countries includes cooperation in training, the presence of Pakistani military personnel in Saudi Arabia, and the protection of Islamic holy sites.
The military forces of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia
To understand which countries are part of the agreement, it is important to assess their military capabilities:
The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accepted credentials from the newly appointed ambassadors of Cyprus, Michalis Firillas, Latvia, Andrejs Pildegovičs, and Pakistan, Kanwar Adnan Ahmed Khan, according to the press service.
“Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Michalis Firillas discussed increasing sanctions pressure on Russia, food security, joint projects within the European Union, the security situation in the region, and cooperation with partners, particularly in multilateral formats,” the statement said.
In addition, Zelensky and the Cypriot ambassador discussed Ukraine’s future membership in the European Union and priorities during Cyprus’ presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2026.
The president also discussed with Pildegovičs the development of the PURL initiative, increasing pressure on Russia, and humanitarian aid. The ambassador assured that Latvia would actively promote Ukraine’s interests at the UN next year when the country becomes a non-permanent member of the organization.
Zelensky discussed with the Pakistani ambassador the development of bilateral cooperation, particularly in the defense and military-technical spheres, as well as partnership in trade and food.
Foreign Ministers of Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan Bakhtiyor Saidov, Amir Khan Muttaki and Ishaq Dar signed a trilateral framework agreement on the development of a feasibility study for the Trans-Afghanistan Railway project during a meeting in Kabul on Thursday.
“We have signed a trilateral framework agreement on the development of a feasibility study for the Trans-Afghanistan-Pakistan Railway project, which is of strategic importance for the whole of Eurasia,” the Uzbek Foreign Minister said in his telegram channel.
He noted that this transportation corridor will improve trade, support Afghanistan’s economic recovery, and open new routes to world markets through southern ports.
According to Saidov, during the meeting, the Uzbek side reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening trade ties, expanding cooperation in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textiles and construction, as well as increasing the capacity of the Termez International Trade Center (opened in Uzbekistan near the Afghan border).
As reported, in February 2021, representatives of Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan signed a joint action plan for the construction of the Mazar-e-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway with a length of 573 kilometers and a transit potential of up to 20 million tons of cargo per year following talks in Tashkent.
The World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) have expressed interest in financing the project.
In April 2024, during Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s visit to Moscow, a preliminary agreement was reached on Russia’s participation in the project. The volume of Russian cargo transportation along the projected route can be estimated at 8-15 million tons annually.
According to the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan, the construction of the Trans-Afghan railway line will take at least 5 years, with a preliminary cost of $4.8 billion.
AFGHANISTAN, CONSTRUCTION, PAKISTAN, Trans-Afghan railroad, UZBEKISTAN
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said New Delhi will deny Pakistan access to water resources from Indian territory because of Islamabad’s hostile policies.
“Pakistan will not get a drop of water that belongs to India. Playing games with Indian lives will cost Pakistan dearly,” Hindustan Times quoted the prime minister as saying.
He also recalled New Delhi’s stance that talks with Islamabad would be held only on the Pakistan-controlled part of Kashmir.
Earlier it was reported that the Indian side, despite the truce with Islamabad after the exchange of blows in May, has not yet returned to the implementation of the Indus Waters Treaty, which regulates the use of water from several rivers by the parties.
Meanwhile, according to Dawn, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of one of the country’s ruling Pakistan People’s Party, said the previous day that peace in South Asia could be achieved if only India and Pakistan agreed on three issues – Kashmir, counter-terrorism and water.
“The people of the two countries desire peace which is not possible without solving the three issues of Kashmir, terrorism and water,” he said.
The politician also expressed deep concern over India’s exploitation of the water issue for its own interests.
Dawn notes that Zardari, at the head of a Pakistani delegation, will soon travel to a number of countries to convey Islamabad’s views on the regional situation.
The treaty, concluded in 1960, governs the use by both countries of water from the Indus and several other rivers that originate in India. In a new round of tensions between the countries that began in April 2025, India suspended implementation of the treaty and closed the locks on some river dams. Islamabad fears that such actions could cause drought in Pakistani territory.
Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has confirmed that a ceasefire agreement has been reached between Pakistan and India.
“Today, India and Pakistan have reached a mutual understanding on a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities. India has consistently taken a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so,” he wrote on social media on Saturday.
