Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire following more than a week of intense border clashes that left dozens dead and hundreds injured, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday.
According to the statement, both countries have agreed to establish mechanisms aimed at ensuring lasting peace and stability, with follow-up talks planned in the coming days to maintain the ceasefire.
The breakthrough came after high-level negotiations in Doha, mediated by Qatar and Turkey, marking the deadliest confrontation between the two nations in years. Defense ministers from both sides led their respective delegations during the talks.
Pakistan said the discussions focused on “immediate measures to end cross-border terrorism emanating from Afghanistan and restore peace and stability along the border.” Both sides have accused each other of provocation and aggression, while Afghanistan has denied allegations of sheltering militants.
The ceasefire follows days of escalating violence. A temporary 48-hour truce expired Friday, after which Pakistan carried out airstrikes on militant hideouts in Afghanistan’s Paktika province. Pakistani officials claimed the raids targeted the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group responsible for a suicide attack on a security compound in Mir Ali, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
While Pakistani officials said the strikes killed dozens of militants without civilian casualties, Afghan authorities reported at least 10 civilian deaths, including women, children, and local cricketers—prompting Afghanistan’s cricket board to boycott an upcoming series in Pakistan.
Thousands of mourners attended funeral prayers in Paktika on Saturday, as Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid condemned Pakistan’s “repeated violations” of Afghan sovereignty, calling the attacks “provocative acts intended to prolong conflict.”
The two nations share the disputed 2,611-kilometer Durand Line, which Afghanistan has never officially recognized. Pakistan, meanwhile, continues to face a surge in militant attacks along the border and has accused both Afghanistan and India of backing insurgent groups—claims both countries deny.
Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir, urged Afghanistan to prioritize peace, stating, “The Taliban must rein in the proxies who have sanctuaries in Afghanistan. Mutual security and progress must prevail over perpetual violence.”
Source: NDTV
