MOSCOW—Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Maria Zakharova, said in a statement on Sunday that Moscow is concerned over the escalation of tensions on the “Pakistani-Afghan border” and that it calls on the two sides to show restraint.
Zakharova urged Islamabad and the Taliban to engage in constructive dialogue to address their differences peacefully.
“Moscow is concerned over the escalation of tensions on the Pakistani-Afghan border, where not only the military but also civilians perish in shootouts,” Zakharova said, according to the Russian news agency TASS. “We are calling on the sides involved to show restraint and engage in constructive dialogue, aiming to peacefully resolve all differences,” she added.
The statement follows a series of violent exchanges between the two neighbors. Tensions spiked after Pakistani airstrikes targeted a refugee camp in Afghanistan’s Paktika Province earlier this month. The Taliban claimed the strikes killed 46 people, including women and children.
In apparent retaliation, the Taliban launched attacks on Pakistani border posts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Upper Kurram district on Saturday. Pakistani media reported that the assault left one Pakistani soldier dead and 11 others injured.
The border region has long been a flashpoint for conflict, with Pakistan accusing the Taliban of harboring militants from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a claim the Taliban deny. The violence has further strained an already fragile relationship between the two sides.
Moscow’s call for dialogue underscores the growing international concern over instability in the region, where the potential for escalation threatens to impact neighboring countries and broader regional security.
