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Pakistan Closes Border Crossings With Afghanistan After Cross-Border Fire
Pakistan closed border crossings with Afghanistan on Sunday after an exchange of fire between security forces on both sides, officials in Islamabad said, marking a fresh escalation in bilateral tensions.
Afghan troops opened fire on Pakistani border posts late Saturday, with the country’s ministry of defence saying this was in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan earlier in the week.
Pakistan said that it had responded with gun and artillery fire. Pakistani security officials said that a number of Afghan border posts were destroyed in retaliatory attacks.
The exchange of fire was mostly over on Sunday morning, Pakistani security officials said. But in Pakistan’s Kurram area, intermittent gunfire continued, according to local officials and residents.
Pakistan’s two main border crossings with Afghanistan, at Torkham and Chaman, were closed on Sunday, local officials said.
At least three minor crossings, at Kharlachi, Angoor Adda and Ghulam Khan, were also closed, local officials said.
There was no immediate comment from Kabul on the closing of the border. Afghanistan’s ministry of defence had previously said that their operation had finished at midnight local time.
“There is no kind of threat in any part of Afghanistan’s territory,” the Taliban administration’s spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said Sunday.
Landlocked Afghanistan has a 2,600-km (1,600-mile) long border with Pakistan.
Islamabad accuses the Taliban administration of harbouring militants who attack Pakistan, a charge that Kabul denies.
The Pakistani airstrikes, not officially acknowledged by Islamabad, had targeted the leader of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group in Kabul on Thursday, according to a Pakistani security official. It is unclear if he survived.
The TTP has been fighting to overthrow the Islamabad government and replace it with a strict Islamic-led system of governance. It has had a close relationship with the Afghan Taliban.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Pakistan Summons Afghan Envoy Over India-Afghanistan Kashmir Reference
Pakistan on Saturday summoned the Afghan ambassador to express its “strong reservations” over the India-Afghanistan joint statement issued in New Delhi a day earlier.
Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who arrived in New Delhi on Thursday, is currently on a six-day visit to India.
Pak’s “Strong Reservations” To Afghan
In a statement, Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) said that the Additional Foreign Secretary (West Asia & Afghanistan) had conveyed Islamabad’s “strong reservations” to the Afghan envoy regarding references made to Jammu and Kashmir in the joint statement.
“It was conveyed that the reference to Jammu and Kashmir as part of India is in clear violation of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions…,” the FO stated.
According to the joint statement, Afghanistan had strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir in April and expressed condolences and solidarity with the people and the Government of India.
Both countries also “unequivocally condemned all acts of terrorism emanating from regional countries” and emphasised the need to promote peace, stability, and mutual trust in the region.
Islamabad also dismissed Muttaqi’s remark that terrorism was an internal issue of Pakistan.
The FO maintained that shifting responsibility for tackling terrorism onto Pakistan “could not absolve the Afghan Interim Government of its obligations” to ensure regional peace and stability.
Highlighting its decades-long hospitality, the FO said Pakistan had hosted nearly four million Afghans for over forty years.
With peace now returning to Afghanistan, Islamabad reiterated that unauthorised Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan should return home.
“Like all other countries, Pakistan has the right to regulate the presence of foreign nationals residing inside its territory,” it said, adding that Pakistan continued to grant medical and study visas to Afghan citizens “in the spirit of Islamic brotherhood and good neighbourly relations.”
Reaffirming its commitment to a “peaceful, stable, regionally connected and prosperous Afghanistan”, the FO noted that Pakistan had extended trade, economic, and connectivity facilitation to enhance socio-economic cooperation between the two nations.
However, it also underlined that Pakistan had a responsibility to ensure the safety of its people and expected the Afghan government to take “concrete measures” to prevent its soil from being used by terrorist elements against Pakistan.
(With inputs from IBNS)
Trump Says Nobel Peace Prize Winner Accepted Award ‘In His Honor’
U.S. President Donald Trump reacted on Friday to not winning the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, claiming that Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, this year’s laureate, told him she accepted the award “in honor” of him.
“The person who got the Nobel Prize called me today and said, ‘I am accepting this in honour of you because you really deserved it,’” Trump told reporters at the White House.
“I didn’t say, ‘Give it to me,’ though. I think she might have… I’ve been helping her along the way.
They needed a lot of help in Venezuela during the disaster. I’m happy because I saved millions of lives,” he said.
Machado, a long-time advocate for democratic reform and human rights in Venezuela, was awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her “brave and committed” fight for democracy and a peaceful transition away from authoritarian rule.
Trump, who has often suggested he was unfairly overlooked for the Peace Prize, said he expected recognition for what he described as his efforts to “end seven wars”.
“I said, ‘Well, what about the seven others? I should get a Nobel Prize for each one.’ They said, ‘But if you stop Russia and Ukraine, sir, you should be able to get the Nobel.’
I said I stopped seven wars — Armenia and Azerbaijan, Kosovo and Serbia, Israel and Iran, Egypt and Ethiopia, and Rwanda and the Congo,” he said.
In its announcement, the Norwegian Nobel Committee praised Machado as a “brave and committed champion of peace”, saying she “keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness.”
“Democracy is a precondition for lasting peace,” the Committee said. “Machado has spent years working for the freedom of the Venezuelan people.”
It also warned of a global decline in democratic governance, noting that “in 2024, more elections were held than ever before, but fewer and fewer were free and fair.”
“The tools of democracy are also the tools of peace,” the Committee concluded. “María Corina Machado embodies the hope of a different future — one where citizens’ rights are protected and their voices are heard.”
(With inputs from IBNS)
Hamas To Skip Gaza Peace Deal Signing In Egypt, Citing Disagreements
Palestinian militant group Hamas will not attend the Gaza peace deal signing ceremony in Egypt, a senior leader told AFP, citing disagreements with parts of Donald Trump’s plan — a move that casts doubt on the long-awaited accord.
According to a Times of Israel report, Hamas leaders rejected any suggestion that its members should leave the Gaza Strip under the deal, calling such proposals “absurd”.
Hossam Badran, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, told reporters, “Talk about expelling Palestinians, whether they’re Hamas members or not, from their land is absurd and nonsense.”
He added that negotiations over the plan’s second phase would be challenging as it “contains many complexities and difficulties”.
Trump’s Visit Looms Amid Mounting Tensions
The remarks come just ahead of US President Donald Trump’s scheduled Middle East visit in the next two days.
During the trip, Trump is expected to mark the release of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza two years after Hamas’s October 7 attack and to promote the next phase of his peace initiative.
A senior Hamas official, however, warned that political obstacles persist, declaring that the group’s disarmament — a central condition of Trump’s plan — is “out of the question”, even if Hamas relinquishes control of Gaza’s administration.
Ceasefire Begins As part Of Trump’s Deal
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who unilaterally ended the previous ceasefire in March, has indicated that Israel could renew its offensive if Hamas refuses to disarm.
Part of Trump’s deal took effect on Friday when Israel agreed to a ceasefire and withdrew troops from parts of Gaza, enabling displaced Palestinians to return to homes ravaged by bombardment.
Thousands of families travelled north along Gaza’s coast by foot, car, and cart as the fragile truce held.
Under the terms of the agreement, Hamas must release by noon Monday the remaining 47 Israeli hostages, both living and deceased — out of the 251 abducted during the group’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
The remains of one additional hostage held since 2014 are also expected to be returned.
In exchange, Israel will free 250 prisoners, including several serving life sentences for fatal anti-Israeli attacks, along with 1,700 Gazans detained since the start of the war.
Conflict’s Toll And Next Steps
Israeli forces pulled back following a campaign that killed tens of thousands and devastated much of the Gaza Strip.
The US military will oversee a multinational coordination task force — likely including troops from Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the UAE — though no American forces will enter Gaza.
According to the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, Israel’s offensive has killed at least 67,682 people — figures the United Nations considers credible.
The current conflict was triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, assault on Israel, which killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to official Israeli data.
(With inputs from IBNS)
Thousands Of Palestinians Return Home As Gaza Ceasefire Holds
Thousands of Palestinians streamed north along Gaza’s coast on Saturday, travelling by foot, car, and cart to their abandoned homes as a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas appeared to be holding.
“It is an indescribable feeling; praise be to God,” said Nabila Basal as she travelled by foot with her daughter, who she said had suffered a head wound in the war.
“We are very, very happy that the war has stopped and the suffering has ended.”
Israeli troops pulled back under the first phase of a U.S.-brokered agreement reached this week to end the war, which has killed tens of thousands of people and left much of the enclave in ruins.
U.S. President Donald Trump will join the leaders of more than 20 countries in Egypt on Monday for an international summit aimed at finalising permanent peace terms, a spokesperson for Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said. The summit will take place in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh.
Hamas is expected to release its remaining Israeli hostages by noon on the same day, in accordance with the terms of the ceasefire.
Home In Ruins
For many Gazans, the journey back through the enclave’s wasteland led to homes reduced to rubble.
“My house, which I built 40 years ago, was gone in a moment,” said Ahmed al-Jabari as he stood in the wreckage of a Gaza City street. “I’m happy that there is no blood, no killing (but) where will we go? Will we live 20 years in a tent?”
In Israel, as dark fell, tens of thousands of people gathered in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv that was filled with joyous cheers after two years of protests dominated by anger and heartbreak.
Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and daughter Ivanka Trump took the stage with U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who played a key role in ceasefire negotiations since Trump took office.
“I dreamed of this night. It’s been a long journey,” Witkoff said. Some yelled, “Thank you, Trump, thank you Witkoff,” and booed when the envoy mentioned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Turning to the hostages, Witkoff said, “As you return to the embrace of your families and your nation, know that all of Israel and the entire world stand ready to welcome you home with open arms and endless love.”
Countdown To Hostage Release
Once the Israeli forces completed their redeployment on Friday, which keeps them out of major urban areas but still in control of roughly half the enclave, the clock began ticking for Hamas to release its hostages within 72 hours, by Monday noon.
“We are very excited, waiting for our son and for all the 48 hostages,” said Hagai Angrest, whose son Matan is among the 20 Israeli hostages believed to still be alive. “We are waiting for the phone call.”
Twenty-six hostages have been declared dead in absentia, and the fate of two more is unknown.
According to the agreement, after the hostages are freed, Israel will release almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees, many of them captured during the war.
Hundreds of trucks per day are expected to surge into Gaza carrying food and medical aid.
UNICEF spokesperson Tess Ingram said on Saturday the United Nations’ children’s agency expects to significantly scale up supplies of high-energy food for malnourished children, menstrual hygiene supplies, and tents, starting on Sunday.
Witkoff, Kushner, and the U.S. military’s Central Command Admiral Brad Cooper accompanied Israel’s military chief Eyal Zamir in Gaza, the military said in a statement.
Cooper said in a statement that his visit was part of the establishment of a task force that would support stabilisation efforts in Gaza, though U.S. troops would not be deployed inside the enclave.
Trump Expected To Travel To Israel And Egypt
But questions remain about whether the ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange deal, the biggest step yet towards ending two years of war, will lead to a lasting peace under Trump’s 20-point plan.
Further steps in Trump’s plan have yet to be agreed upon. These include how the demolished Gaza Strip is to be ruled and the ultimate fate of Hamas, which has rejected Israel’s demands that it disarm.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump expressed confidence the ceasefire would hold. “They’re all tired of the fighting.” He said he believed there was a “consensus” on the next steps but acknowledged some details still have to be worked out.
In addition to the Egypt summit, Trump is also expected during his trip to the region to address the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, the first U.S. president to do so since George W. Bush in 2008.
Israelis and Palestinians alike rejoiced after the deal was announced to end a war in which more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, mostly civilians, and to return the last hostages seized by Hamas in the deadly attack that provoked it.
During the Hamas attack on Israeli communities, military bases, and a music festival on October 7, 2023, militants killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and captured 251 hostages.
(With inputs from Reuters)
US Moving Uncomfortably Close Into India’s Neighbourhood, East And West
“Bangladesh has changed very, very fundamentally after the exit of Sheikh Hasina on August 5th last. And you have Muhammad Yunus coming in as the de facto ruler after the regime change and he’s more aligned to the Jamaat-e-Islami, which historically has been close to Pakistan,” says former journalist Atul Aneja, currently a scholar writing and analysing strategic developments.
In a conversation on The Gist, Aneja said he had no doubts that the regime change in Bangladesh involved the US Deep State, which saw Hasina as inconvenient after she refused to allow them to use San Martin island south of Chittagong port.
Since her ouster, Bangladesh has seen no less than three military exercises with the US including one in September in Chittagong in the south and another in Sylhet in the east. There are media reports about the possibility of Bangladesh signing the Status of Forces Agreement, which would allow the movement of US military personnel in and out of Bangladesh.
But what’s the game plan here? The coming of the Americans, Aneja warns, has implications for India’s northeastern states since Chittagong borders them. Also for Myanmar’s restive Rakhine state. It has implications for China since it potentially opens a corridor for infiltration through Myanmar to China’s Yunnan province.
“This region,” Aneja notes, “is rife with drugs, arms and trafficking of every kind, there are insurgencies and criminal gangs, making for a deadly cocktail.”
The US game plan is to counter China. It is the reason why Washington is rebuilding its ties with Pakistan. There are reports that Pakistan has offered Pasni to the US for developing into a naval port facility. Pasni is close to Gwadar, which was funded and developed by the Chinese and they are unlikely to see this development positively.
Pakistan’s geography also provides access to Afghanistan, where the Chinese and the Russians appear well entrenched. Pakistan will be useful in Bangladesh, where the Jamaat-e-Islami remains a solid pro-Pakistan element.
It is speculated that if the Jamaat wins the election in Bangladesh next year, India will be up against a ruling establishment that sees it in adversarial terms. Here the role of the Bangladesh army could be crucial.
A neutral force now, if the top leadership changes next year to reflect the political dispensation, the fat could be in the fire for India.
Tune in for more in this conversation with Atul Aneja, former journalist and currently a writer and commentator on strategic issues.
At Gaza Summit, India To Stress Secure Israel, Viable Palestinian State
India will participate in the high-level leaders’ summit on Gaza on Monday. The summit is being held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt and will be co-hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
The summit aims to mobilize international support for a post-war roadmap in Gaza, including humanitarian relief, security arrangements, and reconstruction efforts.
India’s Kirti Vardhan Singh, MoS External Affairs, will represent Prime Minister Modi after he received a last minute invitation over the weekend, sources confirmed.
The U.S. State Department has invited leaders from Spain, Japan, Canada, Cyprus, Bahrain, Kuwait, Greece, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Hungary, El Salvador, UAE, Saudi Arabia and reportedly, Iran. Israel is notably not expected to attend.
India’s Balanced Approach
India’s presence at the summit comes at a time when New Delhi is being urged to play a more prominent diplomatic role in the Middle East. In a recent appeal, Palestinian Ambassador to India Abdullah Abu Shawesh called on India to leverage its unique position to end the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“India’s political weight and ties with Israel uniquely position it to help put an end to the Palestinian suffering,” he said.
In an earlier interview with StratNewsGlobal, the ambassador stressed India’s global responsibility:
“If it is not you, then who? If it is not India, then who?”
India, which has long supported the Palestinian cause while deepening its strategic partnership with Israel, has reiterated its commitment to a peaceful resolution through dialogue.
During a joint statement with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on October 9, Prime Minister Modi expressed support for a two-state solution and endorsed Trump’s peace plan.
“Spoke to my friend, President Trump and congratulated him on the success of the historic Gaza peace plan,” Modi posted on X after a phone call with Trump.
Summit Agenda
The summit, expected to conclude a formal agreement, will address several key elements of the U.S.-backed peace plan, including:
- Implementation of a lasting ceasefire
- Release of hostages and Palestinian detainees
- Reopening of the Rafah crossing under EU supervision
- Daily humanitarian aid deliveries into Gaza
- Discussions on long-term governance and reconstruction
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto confirmed that the Rafah crossing will reopen on October 14 under the coordination of the EU Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM Rafah), with the participation of Italian Carabinieri and other European forces.
“The passage of individuals from the Rafah crossing will not be limited to medical cases, but will be expanded to include any person subject to mutual consent,” Crosetto said.
President Trump is expected to stop in Israel on Monday morning, deliver a speech at the Knesset, and meet with hostage families before heading to Egypt for the summit and signing ceremony.
According to sources, Egypt, Turkey, and Qatar will serve as guarantors of the agreement.
India’s Strategic Position
India’s involvement reflects its careful diplomatic balancing act in West Asia and the increasing expectations from the Global South for New Delhi to play a leadership role in international crises.
The joint statement issued after Modi’s meeting with Starmer underscored this vision: “The two Prime Ministers supported an immediate and lasting ceasefire, the release of hostages and the delivery of humanitarian aid, and their shared commitment to a lasting and just peace as a step towards a Two-State solution, with a safe and secure Israel, alongside a viable Palestinian state.”
Troop Salaries Secured, Says Trump During Shutdown
In a move to reassure military personnel, US President Donald Trump on Saturday said his administration had found a way to ensure troops are paid despite the ongoing federal government shutdown. He added that he had directed Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth to implement the plan.
“Chuck Schumer recently said, ‘Every day gets better’ during their Radical Left Shutdown. I DISAGREE! If nothing is done, because of ‘Leader’ Chuck Schumer and the Democrats, our Brave Troops will miss the paychecks they are rightfully due on October 15th. That is why I am using my authority, as Commander in Chief, to direct our Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to use all available funds to get our Troops PAID on October 15th,” the president wrote in a Truth Social post.
“We have identified funds to do this, and Secretary Hegseth will use them to PAY OUR TROOPS,” said Trump.
Details Not Out Yet
Trump did not identify funding sources or the total amount that would be used for troop salaries.
The Pentagon and White House did not immediately respond to a request for details on the funds that would be used.
Trump made the announcement on the 11th day of a government shutdown that was sparked by a funding impasse with minority congressional Democrats.
Healthcare A Key Issue
Trump’s Republican Party controls the House of Representatives and the Senate. But to reach the 60 votes needed in the Senate to pass a spending bill, Republicans must convince at least seven Democratic senators to back the measure.
Democrats are using that leverage to push for continuing and expanding healthcare subsidies for people who buy insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Democratic lawmakers have refused to back a government spending bill that does not address the issue.
In his Truth Social post, Trump said he would “not allow the Democrats to hold our Military, and the entire Security of our Nation HOSTAGE with their dangerous Government shutdown”.
He pledged to work with the Democrats on healthcare if they agree to reopen the government.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Madagascar Protesters Enter May 13 Square Under Army Escort
In a significant turn on Saturday, protesters in Madagascar entered Antananarivo’s May 13 Square for the first time since last month’s demonstrations began, this time under military escort.
The protests, inspired by Gen Z-led movements in Kenya and Nepal, began on September 25 over water and electricity shortages but have since escalated, posing the most serious challenge to President Andry Rajoelina’s rule since his re-election in 2023.
Earlier on Saturday, some troops from an army unit that helped Rajoelina seize power in a 2009 coup urged fellow soldiers to disobey orders and back the youth-led protests, local media reported.
The elite CAPSAT unit, which played a pivotal role in Rajoelina’s rise, issued a rare public call for solidarity with demonstrators demanding his resignation.
‘Restoring Order Through Dialogue’
Videos circulating on social media showed CAPSAT soldiers urging fellow troops to “support the people”.
Military leaders, including the chief of staff and a senior official from the Ministry of the Armed Forces, urged troops to engage in discussions and dialogue.
A video broadcast by local media showed that dozens of soldiers left the barracks to escort thousands of protesters into May 13 Square, the scene of many political uprisings, which had been heavily guarded and off-limits during the unrest.
The army’s chief of staff, General Jocelyn Rakotoson, later made a statement broadcast on local media urging citizens to “assist the security forces in restoring order through dialogue”.
He also called on church leaders to “mediate in the situation currently unfolding in the country”.
The demonstrators are demanding that Rajoelina step down, apologise to the country, and dissolve the senate and electoral commission.
Last week, Rajoelina dismissed his cabinet and appointed a new prime minister.
At least 22 people have been killed and 100 injured in the unrest, according to the United Nations. The Malagasy government has disputed the figures, with Rajoelina saying this week that 12 people were killed in the protests.
(With inputs from Reuters)
Tensions Soar As Israel Plays Norway; Protesters Clash With Police
Tensions flared during the World Cup qualifier between Norway and Israel in Oslo on Saturday, as protests over Israel’s participation — amid the ongoing war in Gaza — led to a strong security response, including the use of tear gas, and revealed deep divisions among Norwegian fans.
Ahead of the game, hundreds of pro-Palestinian supporters gathered to protest outside the Norwegian parliament, with many wearing the jerseys of the Palestine national team.
‘Israel Should Be Expelled’
“The match should not have been played. If Russia is expelled, then Israel should be expelled as well,” said Norway fan Johan, who was dressed in a Palestine jersey.
Marching towards Ullevaal Stadium with Palestinian flags and flares, the protesters gathered outside, vowing to continue until kickoff as nearby buildings displayed pro-Palestinian banners hanging from balconies.
Security was tight around the stadium, with police closing several entrances hours before the match started, conducting bag searches, and reducing the number of spectators allowed in.
Later, Norwegian police confirmed they had used tear gas on a group of protesters who attempted to breach the barricades surrounding the stadium as the match was being played.
“Several protesters have broken through the police barricades outside Ullevaal Stadium. We have therefore used gas to gain control of the crowd. No one has been injured in connection with the incident,” the police said in a statement to Norwegian media.
The police also arrested several demonstrators, according news agency NTB.
‘Going To Be Great Night’
Some Norwegian supporters appeared unconcerned about the political background to the match, seeing it only as another hurdle to qualify for their first World Cup since 1998.
“We are going to watch Norway basically qualify tonight and it’s going to be great night,” one fan said.
More than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s assault on Gaza, launched after Hamas-led militants stormed through Israeli towns and a music festival on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people and capturing 251 hostages.
Israeli troops began withdrawing on Friday under a peace agreement, which is the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war between Israel and the Hamas militant group.
(With inputs from Reuters)