Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to hold follow-up talks in Qatar to create conditions for lasting peace. The talks aim to end a week of cross-border clashes that killed dozens. Both nations confirmed an immediate ceasefire after discussions with Qatari mediators in Doha, said Qatar’s Foreign Ministry.
Qatar announced that Turkish negotiators also helped broker the peace deal. The agreement ends the deadliest week of fighting between the two countries in years, which left many dead and hundreds injured. Afghan and Pakistani officials plan additional meetings to strengthen the truce and ensure its long-term success.
Escalation and Air Strikes
Violence between the neighbours intensified earlier this month. Each government accused the other of aggression. Pakistan claimed it responded to militant attacks, while Afghanistan denied sheltering those fighters. Since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, Pakistan has struggled with rising militancy along its western border.
The renewed clashes further endangered a region where Islamic State and al-Qaeda seek to re-establish influence. On Friday, hours after a 48-hour truce expired, Pakistan launched strikes across the border. The military said it targeted Hafiz Gul Bahadur group fighters in Afghanistan’s Paktika province. Islamabad reported neutralising dozens of militants without harming civilians.
Officials said the attack followed a suicide bombing at a security compound in Mir Ali, Pakistan. Taliban authorities countered that the strikes killed at least ten civilians, including women, children, and local cricket players. The national cricket board responded by boycotting an upcoming tournament in Pakistan. The International Cricket Council expressed sorrow over the deaths of three young Afghan players.
Tensions Over Borders and Sovereignty
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid condemned Pakistan’s actions as violations of Afghanistan’s sovereignty. He accused Islamabad of provoking conflict through repeated aggression. Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, urged Afghanistan to choose mutual security and progress over extremism. He demanded that the Taliban control proxy fighters using Afghan territory.
Both nations continue to dispute the 2,600-kilometre Durand Line. Afghanistan refuses to recognise the boundary, calling it a colonial-era imposition from 1893 that split Pashtun tribes. Kabul instead acknowledges borders from 1947, which overlap with Pakistani territory. This disagreement has fuelled decades of clashes driven by local militants and territorial disputes.
