Afghanistan and Pakistan exchanged their deadliest fire in years. Here’s what we know

Sanaullah Seiam/AFP/Getty Images via CNN Newsource

Islamabad (CNN) — Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have flared in recent days with the exchange of deadly gunfire between the neighbors that has stoked fears of a wider conflict.

The fighting followed strikes in the Afghan capital Kabul and the border province of Paktika last Thursday that the Taliban blamed on Pakistan, though Islamabad has not officially acknowledged the attacks.

The latest flare-up coincided with a historic trip by Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to Pakistan’s rival India, triggering concern in Islamabad.

Experts warn these latest attacks could signal a new era of instability for the neighbors, who have maintained steady and strategic relations for years despite frequent skirmishes along their d