Pakistan loses ‘wire war’ on Durand Line? Taliban dismantles fencing, Pak troops ‘abandon’ posts: Report

Tensions along the disputed Durand Line have sharpened again, with reports saying that forces of the Islamic Emirate have dismantled barbed wire put up by Pakistan’s military in parts of Kunar and Paktia provinces.

TOLOnews mentioned sources as saying that the Afghan forces now hold positions along the stretch, while Pakistani troops have vacated nearby posts. There has been no official response from the Islamic Emirate.

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The development comes as a fresh report flags the possibility of the standoff turning into a prolonged conflict if Pakistan continues cross-border military action. The warning, carried by Athens-based Directus, suggests the situation is no longer a limited border dispute but one that could reshape stability across South Asia.

Why the conflict is drawing global concern

According to the report, Western governments risk underestimating the fallout of the Pakistan-Afghanistan confrontation. It argues that allowing aggressive operations inside Afghanistan could deepen instability and encourage coercive behaviour by states, with wider consequences for international norms.

The warning comes in the shadow of a deadly turn earlier this month. On March 16th, a Pakistani airstrike hit a drug rehabilitation center in Kabul, resulting in the deaths of almost 400 individuals.

It was one of several attacks that have pushed the situation from simmering tension to something far more serious.

Since then, the situation has only worsened. Pakistan has launched repeated air raids inside Afghanistan, while Taliban fighters have hit back by targeting Pakistani military positions along the border. What was once a tense standoff is now starting to look like an active conflict. Pakistani leaders have described the situation as an “open war”.

A worsening humanitarian and security crisis

Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have been deteriorating for years. Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban of sheltering militants from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a charge the Afghan side denies. Kabul has instead said Pakistan’s security challenges are internal.

The impact on civilians has been severe. The United Nations estimates that more than 100,000 people have been displaced by the fighting. Airstrikes have struck populated areas, resulting in civilian casualties.

The Directus report warns that continued escalation could destabilise the region further and create space for extremist groups to regroup along the Durand Line. A breakdown in border security, it says, could recreate conditions that once allowed such organisations to operate freely.