Afghanistan and Pakistan traded heavy fire along their shared border after Taliban forces responded to Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul amid escalating tensions.
After claiming to have stopped eight wars, US President Donald Trump is now eyeing another conflict to resolve within the first year of his second administration: Afghanistan and Pakistan. Trump made the statement while leaving for his visit to Israel for the release of the hostages after brokering a ceasefire in Gaza.
Notably, Afghanistan and Pakistan traded heavy fire along their shared border after Taliban forces responded to Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul, as tensions continue to escalate between the nations. Afghanistan said its forces killed fifty-eight Pakistani soldiers, while Pakistani officials claimed their forces took control of around nineteen Afghan posts along the border.
Speaking to reporters while leaving for the Middle East, Trump said that he could take up the conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan after his return, since he is “good at solving wars.”
"This will be my eighth war that I have solved, and I hear there is a war now going on between Pakistan and Afghanistan. I said, I'll have to wait till I get back. I am doing another one. Because I am good at solving wars," Trump said.
Repeating his claim of resolving long-standing disputes, including between India and Pakistan, Trump said that it was an “honour” to have helped solve wars and save lives through his peace efforts.
"Think about India, Pakistan. Think about some of the wars that were going on for years. We had one going for 31, one going for 32, one going for 37 years, with millions of people being killed in every country and I got every one of those done, for the most part, within a day. It's pretty good," he said.
"It's an honour to do it. I saved millions of lives. In all fairness to the Nobel Committee, it was for 2024. This (Nobel Peace Prize) was picked for 2024. But there are those who say you could make an exception because a lot of things happened during 2025 that are done and complete and great. But I did not do this for the Nobel. I did this for saving lives," he added.
This comes after Trump’s hopes for the Nobel Peace Prize were shattered on Friday as the award was presented to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.
Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict
On Sunday, major border crossings between Pakistan and Afghanistan were closed as the two countries engaged in clashes after the Taliban accused Islamabad of carrying out airstrikes in Kabul.
Afghanistan's Taliban forces attacked Pakistani security personnel and killed fifty-eight soldiers during overnight border operations, Afghan spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid was quoted as saying by Associated Press. Meanwhile, Pakistan claimed to have taken control of about nineteen Afghan posts along the shared border, without confirming any casualties.
