KABUL, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Afghanistan's Minister of Defense Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid has said that the country has no desire to escalate hostilities with Pakistan and prefers a peaceful resolution through negotiations.

In an interview with local media outlet TOLOnews on Saturday, he noted that Afghanistan did not provoke the clashes but has been compelled to respond to incursions.

"Our message to the mediating countries is that we do not seek war and that we believe in negotiations," the minister said.

Military tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have escalated recently, with both sides accusing each other of initiating violence.