Taliban Releases Three Pakistani Soldiers to Saudi Mediators

Afghanistan's Taliban government announced on Tuesday the release of three Pakistani soldiers captured during deadly border clashes last October, handing them over to a Saudi delegation in a gesture aimed at easing longstanding tensions between the two neighbors.

The soldiers were detained on October 12, 2025, amid intense fighting along the shared border, according to Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Taliban administration. Mujahid stated that the handover occurred in Kabul, where the Saudi mediators had arrived the previous day. He described the decision as aligning with Afghanistan's policy of fostering positive relations with other nations, particularly in observance of the upcoming holy month of Ramadan, and as a response to a request from Saudi Arabia. The kingdom has played a role in facilitating dialogue between Kabul and Islamabad in recent months.

The release comes more than four months after the clashes, which marked the most severe violence between Afghanistan and Pakistan in years. The confrontations erupted on October 11, 2025, following explosions in Kabul on October 9 that Afghan officials attributed to Pakistan. Fighting spread across multiple districts in...