Afghanistan’s Turbulent Borders – Tensions Between the Taliban and Neighbouring Countries

Abstract

In October 2025, Afghan-Pakistani relations flared up again, with border clashes followed by rocket attacks, raising fears that tensions between the two countries would escalate into a protracted armed conflict. Since the Taliban took power in 2021, the region has once again been characterized by significant instability, with Afghanistan, burdened by security threats and a humanitarian crisis, at the epicentre. The neighbours of the Central Asian state are responding to the challenges posed by the new regime in Kabul to varying degrees and in different ways, but the past few years have seen increasingly frequent armed confrontations. The study reflects on the clashes that took place on the Afghan-Pakistani border last month. Beyond analysing specific events, it aims to present the background of the border conflicts that arise from time to time between the Taliban leadership and neighbouring countries in a broader context.