While global attention is on the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran, another confrontation is unfolding further east. Pakistan and Afghanistan are edging toward escalation along one of Asia’s most volatile borders.
Fighting began to intensify in late February and continued into early March, forcing more than 115,000 people to flee their homes. The clashes are happening along the Durand Line, the 2,600-kilometer border drawn in 1893 that separates the two countries and has long been disputed. While no major new incidents have been reported in recent weeks, the situation remains tense.
The violence began when Pakistan carried out airstrikes inside Afghanistan, saying it was targeting camps used by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan militants. The group has carried out many attacks in Pakistan’s northwest, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Pakistan says the strikes were necessary to stop militant attacks. Afghan officials, however, say the
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