KABUL: Fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban military entered its third day on Saturday, following overnight clashes as the international community expressed increasing concern about the conflict and called for urgent talks. Pakistan’s strikes on Friday hit Taliban military installations and posts, including in Kabul and Kandahar, in one of the deepest Pakistani incursions into its western neighbor in years, officials said, according to Reuters . Islamabad accuses the Taliban of harbouring Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, who it claims are waging an insurgency inside Pakistan, a charge the Taliban denies. Pakistan described its actions as a response to cross-border assaults, while Kabul denounced them as a breach of its sovereignty, saying it remained open to dialogue but warned any wider conflict would result in serious consequences. The fighting has raised the risk of a protracted conflict along the rugged 2,600-km (1,615-mile) frontier. Diplomatic efforts gathered pace late on Friday as Afghanistan said its foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, spoke by telephone with Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal bin Farhan about reducing tensions and keeping diplomatic channels open. The European Union called for both sides to de-escalate and engage in dialogue, while the United Nations urged an immediate end to hostilities. Russia, Iran call for dialogue amid Pakistan-Afghanistan clashes Russia urged both sides to halt the clashes and return to talks, while China said it was deeply concerned and ready to help ease tensions. The United States supports Pakistan’s right to defend itself against attacks by the Taliban, a State Department spokesperson said. A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Washington did not view Pakistan as the aggressor in the latest escalation and that Islamabad was under pressure to address its security challenges, adding Washington hoped the situation would not escalate further. Border fighting continues Exchanges of fire continued along the border overnight. Unprovoked firing by Afghan Taliban regime forces repulsed, says govt Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said “our cup of patience has overflowed” and described the fighting as “open war”, warning that Pakistan would respond to further attacks. Pakistan’s military capabilities far exceed those of Afghanistan, with a standing army of hundreds of thousands and a modern air force, Reuters reported. In stark contrast, the Taliban lacks a conventional air force and relies largely on light weaponry and ground forces, the report said.