A 48-hour ceasefire between Afghanistan and Pakistan took hold late Wednesday, officials on both sides said, after dozens of troops and civilians were killed in fresh cross-border skirmishes earlier in the day.

The truce began at 6:00 p.m. Islamabad time, shortly after being announced by both countries, each asserting the other had requested it to end the surge in violence.

According to Pakistan, the ceasefire was expected to last 48 hours.