Intense fighting erupted overnight Sunday in the Torkham area along the disputed Durand Line, with Afghan security forces claiming to have inflicted significant losses on Pakistani forces.

Mahmood Naeemi, a correspondent for Ariana News reporting from Torkham, said local officials confirmed that Afghan forces carried out retaliatory strikes late Friday, targeting Pakistani military positions near the crossing.

According to Naeemi, sections of the fence along the Durand Line were destroyed and several Pakistani facilities and outposts were damaged in the exchanges. He added that the area remains heavily militarized and volatile, warning that fighting could resume at any moment.

Torkham, a key commercial crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan, has long been a flashpoint due to disputes over the Durand Line — the 19th-century boundary demarcation that Afghanistan has historically contested. Tensions frequently flare over fencing, troop movements and shelling.

Residents in the Torkham area told Ariana News that clashes have persisted for several days, forcing families to flee their homes amid fears of escalating violence. Civilian displacement and disruption to trade have also compounded concerns about stability in the already fragile border region.

Pakistani authorities have not immediately issued detailed public comments on the latest claims. The situation however remains tense, with both sides maintaining a heightened military presence along the frontier.

Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, Minister of Interior of the Islamic Emirate, held a telephone conversation with Asaad Hassan al- Shaibani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Syria, regarding the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Interior, both sides emphasized the importance of strengthening relations between Afghanistan and Syria.

During the discussion, the two sides also talked about the latest regional developments.

Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Amir Khan Muttaqi, held separate phone calls with senior officials from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, focusing on the recent escalation between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

In his call with Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, Muttaqi said Afghanistan’s recent security actions were aimed at protecting sovereignty and territorial integrity. Qatar expressed support for reducing tensions and said it is ready to play a constructive role.

During his call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Muttaqi praised Riyadh’s diplomatic efforts and reaffirmed Afghanistan’s desire for positive relations based on mutual respect. Saudi Arabia stressed de-escalation, dialogue, and respect for sovereignty as essential for resolving disputes.

Both Qatar and Saudi Arabia agreed to maintain ongoing contact and support diplomatic approaches to regional stability.