Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to resume peace talks in Qatar to set terms for lasting stability. Their decision follows a week of deadly cross-border clashes that killed dozens. Qatari mediators announced the breakthrough after hosting both delegations in Doha. The Qatari Foreign Ministry confirmed that the two nations accepted an immediate ceasefire. Turkish negotiators also helped secure the deal. Both sides pledged to build mechanisms that would strengthen the truce and ensure its continuity.
Escalation Along the Border
Fighting intensified this month as each country accused the other of aggression. Afghanistan rejected claims that it shelters militants striking Pakistani territory, a long-standing dispute for Islamabad. Pakistan continues to battle rising militancy in its western border regions since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. The renewed violence threatens a region where groups like the Islamic State and al-Qaeda seek to re-emerge.
On Friday, hours after a short truce expired, Pakistan launched airstrikes in Paktika, Afghanistan. The attacks targeted militants from the Hafiz Gul Bahadur faction. Islamabad stated the operation eliminated dozens of fighters without harming civilians. Officials said they acted in retaliation for a suicide bombing on a security compound in Mir Ali, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the previous day.
Fallout and Diplomatic Tensions
Taliban officials reported at least ten civilian deaths, including women, children, and local cricket players near the strike zone. In protest, Afghanistan’s cricket board withdrew from a scheduled tournament in Pakistan. The International Cricket Council expressed sorrow over the loss of three young Afghan players.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid condemned what he called Pakistan’s repeated violations of Afghan sovereignty. He accused Islamabad of deliberately prolonging the conflict. Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, urged Afghans to choose mutual peace and reject extremism. Speaking at the Pakistan Military Academy, he called on the Taliban to curb militant proxies operating from Afghan soil.
The two neighbours share a 2,600-kilometre frontier known as the Durand Line. Afghanistan refuses to recognise this boundary, claiming it was imposed by colonial Britain in 1893. Kabul instead recognises the 1947 demarcation, which challenges Pakistan’s territorial claims and divides Pashtun tribes across both sides. This unresolved border dispute continues to fuel periodic clashes and militant attacks.
