ISTANBUL

Russia said that it is ready to mediate between Afghanistan and Pakistan amid border tensions if both sides make such a request to Moscow.

In an interview with the Russian daily Izvestia published overnight on Tuesday, Zamir Kabulov, President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy for Afghanistan, said Moscow is “naturally” concerned about the escalation between Islamabad and Kabul.

“We would like to see a swift end to mutual attacks and a transition to detente in relations,” Kabulov said, arguing that while risks of a full-scale war are “hypothetically significant,” they are unlikely.

Kabulov said they are seeking a compromise that would end the fighting and transition to diplomacy.

“Russia would be willing to consider this option if both sides simultaneously approach it for mediation. This hasn't happened yet, so we don't intend to force ourselves on them,” he added.

Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have worsened in recent weeks after border tensions escalated, causing casualties and property damage.

Since late February, cross-border clashes have killed at least 107 people on both sides, including 13 soldiers and five civilians in Pakistan, with one soldier still missing.

According to Kabul, 13 soldiers and 76 civilians have been killed in Afghanistan, excluding the latest casualties claimed in Monday’s strike.

According to the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, it also documented 76 civilian deaths and 213 injuries in Afghanistan between Feb. 26 and March 16—except for the incident at Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul late Monday—due to the ongoing hostilities.

Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of harboring anti-Pakistan militant groups, which Kabul denies.