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New fighting broke out along the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier early on Wednesday, with each side accusing the opposing side of starting lethal clashes.

The Pakistani military announced that its troops had killed "15-20 Afghan Taliban" and wounded numerous others in the Spin Boldak frontier area.

A Taliban government spokesman claimed that twelve non-combatants had been killed and over a hundred wounded by artillery from Pakistan. He added that numerous Pakistani soldiers had been lost their lives. None of the reported deaths could be independently confirmed.

Violence between the neighbors has escalated since blasts shook Afghanistan recently, which Kabul attributed on Islamabad. The Taliban deny claims that it is sheltering armed groups targeting Pakistan.

Online Platforms and Armed Engagements

The two sides are not only fighting for the advantage on the frontier, but also on social media, attempting to convince the general population that their side is inflicting more damage.

The most recent fighting come after severe border hostilities over the past few days, when the Taliban asserted to have eliminated fifty-eight members of the Pakistani military and Pakistan reported it killed two hundred "Taliban and linked terrorists". The claimed casualty figures provided by both parties could not be independently verified.

A few days of fragile peace that had lasted since the weekend were broken on Wednesday morning.

On-the-Ground Accounts and Impact

Videos purportedly of the conflict and its aftereffects have been shared on the internet and on messaging groups, including footage said to be of those deceased and grainy shots from low-light cameras purporting to be of check posts destroyed. These recordings have not been verified.

A source in Spin Boldak in Afghanistan stated that fighting erupted at around 04:00 local time (11:30 p.m. GMT on Tuesday). Another resident in the district, who lives about one kilometre away from the border crossing, said that "intense hostilities continued for almost several hours".

"I see drones and fighter planes soaring over us, some of our relatives are injured," they said.

A doctor in one of the medical facilities in the region reported that he tallied "seven bodies and 36 injured brought to the hospital", including males, women and children.

The situation were "tense" and additional victims were being transferred to medical care, he said.

Displacement and International Reactions

A local Taliban official in Spin Boldak announced that "numerous of households have been displaced since last night due to the heavy fighting". He said they were on "high alert" after a few military positions were attacked by aircraft from Pakistan. He added that they had the bodies of 2 armed forces members.

In a distinct overnight clash on Pakistan's north-western border, the Islamabad's forces claimed that 25 to 30 Taliban and Pakistani Taliban fighters were "believed" to have been eliminated.

The clashes have prompted appeals for reduced tensions from other countries including China and Russia, as well as a suggestion from the American leader that he could step in to facilitate peace.

On that day, a UN official, UN special rapporteur on the conditions of civil liberties in Afghanistan, posted on a social media platform that he was "very worried" by accounts of non-combatant deaths and displacement because of the clashes.

"I urge all parties to practice maximum restraint, protect civilians, and abide by global regulations," he wrote.

Historical Disputes

Islamabad has long alleged the Taliban authorities of allowing the Pakistani militants to operate from their land and battle against the Pakistani administration in an attempt to impose a strict Islamic-led system of rule.

The Afghan Taliban government has always denied this.