Taliban-Pakistan border clashes continue after Moscow talks end without deal

Border clashes between Pakistani forces and Afghan Taliban fighters pushed into their third week on 15 October 2026, after the eighth Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan broke up without a joint statement earlier in the month. Pakistan's military said it had killed 12 fighters from the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) and the Afghan Taliban in the past week alone during exchanges in Kurram district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, part of a running series of air strikes, artillery duels and small-arms fire along the Durand Line in Paktia and Khyber. Islamabad has suspended the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and declared a state of emergency, citing a 'deteriorating security situation' amid protests and a surge in attacks. The Afghan Taliban's growing use of drones, including types analysts say have been transferred to allied militants, has added a dangerous new dimension to the fight. The conflict has displaced tens of thousands, strained relations across the region and complicated separate talks on Afghanistan's economic reintegration hosted by Russia, Iran, China and the Central Asian states.