Russia, China, Iran and India call for ceasefire as cross-border attacks raise tensions.
On Friday, Russia, China, Iran and India — members of the BRICS bloc — expressed concern over the latest escalation of violence between Afghanistan and Pakistan and said they hope the fighting will cease “as soon as possible.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia is closely monitoring developments along the shared border and considers it premature to draw final conclusions, though he warned that direct clashes “bring nothing good” for regional stability.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to abandon confrontation and resume political and diplomatic dialogue to resolve their differences.
China said it has intervened through its own channels to help ease tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan and expressed willingness to play a constructive role following the recent military escalation between the two countries.
At a news conference, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Beijing is watching developments with “deep concern” and regrets the casualties caused by the clashes. She also warned that a prolongation or intensification of the conflict would cause greater damage and losses for both sides.
The Chinese diplomat urged both parties to remain calm, address their differences through talks and negotiation, and reach a ceasefire as soon as possible. She also reiterated that China categorically rejects terrorism in all its forms.
For its part, Iran called on Pakistan and Afghanistan to engage in dialogue and offered to mediate in any framework to find a political solution to the conflict.
India rejected the recent clashes and said the bombings carried out by Islamabad are aimed at diverting attention from its own internal problems. At the same time, New Delhi reiterated its support for Afghanistan’s territorial integrity.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said the Pakistani air incursions — which left civilian casualties — constitute “another attempt to externalize domestic failures.”
New Clashes and Casualties on Both Sides Have Been Reported
Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan rose after a series of cross-border attacks. Overnight, the Pakistani Air Force bombed targets in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia province in response to cross-border operations launched Thursday by Afghanistan against Pakistani military installations.
Those actions followed an attack by Islamabad on Afghan territory last Saturday, after suicide bombings and other violent incidents on Pakistani soil claimed by Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and the Islamic State Khorasan Province.
In 2025, frictions between Kabul and Islamabad intensified following several border incidents and explosions for which both sides blamed each other.
In October, they agreed to a ceasefire after negotiations held in Doha with mediation by Qatar and Türkiye. However, the truce failed to halt the deterioration of security.
The border dividing the two countries, known as the Durand Line, was established in 1893 by the British Indian administration. After independence in 1947, Afghanistan refused to officially recognize the boundary, fueling disputes for decades.
In recent months, Pakistan has recorded a rise in violence, particularly in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, with attacks attributed to terrorist groups.
On Feb. 6, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for an attack on a Shiite mosque in Islamabad, considered the deadliest in the capital since the 2008 bombing of the Marriott Hotel Islamabad, which killed 60 people.
teleSUR/ JF
Sources: EFE – Xinhua – RT
0 Comentarios