Pakan and Afghanan agree to immediate ceasefire after border clashes | World News
Residents remove debris from a house damaged Wednesday’s two drone strikes, in Kabul, Afghanan. (AP Photo)
Afghanan and Pakan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire following days of peace talks in Doha, Qatar’s foreign minry announced early Sunday. The decision came after a week of deadly border clashes that left dozens dead and hundreds injured in the worst fighting between the two neighbours since the Taliban took power in 2021, Reuters reported.
Qatar’s foreign minry said the agreement was reached during a round of negotiations on Saturday mediated Qatar and Turkey. Both sides also committed to holding follow-up meetings “to ensure the sustainability of the ceasefire and verify its implementation in a reliable and sustainable manner,” the statement added.
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The Afghan and Pakani delegations met in Doha on Saturday to discuss immediate steps to de-escalate tensions and prevent further violence. Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that Defence Miner Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob was leading Kabul’s team in the negotiations.
Pakan’s foreign office said its delegation was headed Defence Miner Khawaja Muhammad Asif. “The talks will focus on immediate measures to end cross-border terrorism against Pakan emanating from Afghanan and restore peace and stability along the Pak-Afghan border,” the minry said, according to Reuters.
The recent violence was triggered Islamabad’s demand that the Taliban government curb militants allegedly operating from Afghan territory. The Pakani military says these groups have stepped up attacks inside Pakan in recent months.
Both sides trade blame over militant activity
The Taliban adminration has denied harbouring any groups attacking Pakan, accusing Islamabad instead of spreading misinformation and backing Islamic State-linked militants to destabilise Afghanan. Pakan has rejected those allegations.
Also Read: Truce ‘broken’ says Taliban after Pakani strikes hit Afghanan
On Friday, a suicide bombing near the border killed seven Pakani soldiers and injured 13 others, according to security officials. Speaking at a cadet graduation ceremony a day later, Pakan’s Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir said, “The Afghan regime must rein in the proxies who have sanctuaries in Afghanan and are using Afghan soil to perpetrate heinous attacks inside Pakan.”
Militant groups have fought for years to overthrow Pakan’s government and impose their interpretation of Islamic rule.
Kabul accuses Pakan of strikes after ceasefire extension
The ceasefire, initially agreed upon earlier in the week, was extended on Friday for the duration of the talks. However, Afghan officials later accused Pakan of conducting airstrikes inside Afghanan just hours after the truce was renewed.
Mujahid said the strikes targeted civilians and warned that Kabul reserved the right to respond, though Afghan forces were instructed not to retaliate out of respect for the ongoing negotiations.
In protest, Afghanan withdrew from a Twenty20 tri-series scheduled in Pakan next month, following the deaths of three local cricketers that the Afghanan Cricket Board said were caused airstrikes in Paktika province.
Pakan defends strikes
Pakan’s Information Miner Attaullah Tarar said on X that the military had targeted “verified” camps of Islam militants along the border, denying that civilians were hit.
He claimed more than 100 militants were killed in recent operations, most of them linked to the group that carried out Friday’s suicide bombing. He added that militants attempted to launch multiple attacks inside Pakan during the ceasefire period.
(With inputs from agencies)
