Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to hold more talks in Qatar to create a framework for lasting peace. The agreement aims to end a week of fierce cross-border clashes that killed dozens. Qatar’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that both nations reached an immediate ceasefire after discussions with Qatari mediators in Doha. Turkish negotiators also played a role in finalizing the deal.
Both sides committed to building mechanisms that will support lasting peace and stability. They plan to meet again soon to ensure the truce holds. The recent violence marked the deadliest confrontation between the two neighbours in years.
Escalation and Cross-Border Strikes
Fighting between Afghanistan and Pakistan intensified earlier this month. Each side accused the other of starting the aggression. Afghanistan rejected Pakistan’s claims that it shelters militants attacking border areas. Pakistan has battled rising militancy along its western frontier since the Taliban regained control in 2021.
Regional instability has worsened as groups like Islamic State and al-Qaeda attempt to rebuild their networks. Hours after a 48-hour truce ended on Friday, Pakistan launched airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika province. It targeted militants from the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group. Islamabad said the operation killed dozens of fighters without harming civilians.
Officials claimed the strikes responded to a suicide attack on a security compound in Mir Ali, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the previous day. Taliban officials, however, said the bombings killed at least ten civilians, including women, children, and cricket players near the strike sites.
Fallout and Border Disputes
The attacks prompted Afghanistan’s cricket board to boycott an upcoming tournament in Pakistan. The International Cricket Council expressed sorrow over the deaths of three young Afghan players. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid condemned Pakistan’s “repeated crimes” and accused it of violating Afghanistan’s sovereignty. He described the strikes as deliberate provocations meant to prolong conflict.
Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, urged Afghanistan to pursue mutual security and reject violence. He called on the Taliban to restrain armed proxies based in Afghanistan. Delegations from both nations met in Doha on Saturday to continue negotiations.
The countries share a 2,600-kilometre border known as the Durand Line. Afghanistan has never recognised it, calling it a colonial-era imposition. Kabul argues the 1893 agreement forced separation of Pashtun tribes living across both sides. Instead, it recognises the 1947 borders, which overlap large sections of Pakistani territory. These disputes have fueled decades of cross-border clashes driven by local militants and territorial claims.
