Armed clashes between two tribes over a disputed mountain area on the Khost-Paktika border have continued for a fourth day, with heavy weapons reportedly used.
Armed clashes between two tribes over the ownership of a mountainous area along the border between Afghanistan’s southeastern provinces of Khost and Paktika have continued for a fourth consecutive day, according to local reports.
The fighting involves members of the Bori Khail tribe from Khost’s Spira district and the Giyan Khail tribe from Paktika’s Giyan district. Sources said both sides have used light and heavy weapons during the confrontation, raising concerns that a long-running land dispute could further escalate.
Local residents stated that the disputed mountain is located between Spira and Giyan districts. The area is covered with forests, including valuable pine nut trees, which residents said has intensified disagreements over ownership, access and control of the land.
Residents said the dispute has existed for decades and has repeatedly resulted in armed confrontations between the two tribes. Shah Mir Khan, a resident of Spira district, that previous clashes over the mountain had caused significant casualties, claiming that around 80 people had been killed or injured in earlier incidents linked to the dispute. The figure could not be independently verified.
Meanwhile, Radio Hurriyat, a media outlet close to the Taliban, reported that the clashes had entered their fourth day, with both sides using heavy weapons. The outlet published footage showing a person allegedly firing a mortar toward opposing positions, although the authenticity and details of the video could not be independently verified.
The reported use of heavy weapons has drawn attention as Taliban authorities have repeatedly said that security has improved nationwide and that weapons held by unauthorized groups have been collected since they returned to power in 2021.
Radio Hurriyat reported that Taliban forces had been deployed to the area to prevent further escalation and separate the two sides. The outlet said shelling during the clashes damaged at least two houses in Gelay village of Giyan district.
There is no confirmed official figure for casualties from the latest fighting. Local sources have reported that at least two people were injured, while details about possible deaths remain unclear.
The mountain dispute is rooted in competing claims of historical ownership by the two communities. Local accounts say tensions over the territory have continued for generations, with disputes frequently linked to access to natural resources and grazing or forest areas.
Radio Hurriyat reported that the broader dispute has continued for nearly 80 years, claiming that around 250 people from both sides have been killed over the decades. However, casualty estimates vary among local sources and have not been independently verified.
Residents have called on Taliban authorities in Khost and Paktika to intervene and help establish a permanent solution to the dispute. They warned that continued fighting could further destabilize the border area and deepen tensions between the two communities.
The ongoing confrontation highlights the continued impact of unresolved tribal land disputes in Afghanistan, where competing claims over territory and natural resources have repeatedly triggered armed conflicts between local communities. Despite broader security claims by authorities, local disputes remain a persistent challenge in several parts of the country.
