Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to hold new peace talks in Qatar to set lasting peace terms after a deadly week of cross-border fighting. The clashes killed dozens and wounded hundreds, marking the most violent confrontation between the two nations in years. Qatari mediators in Doha facilitated an immediate ceasefire, according to Qatar’s Foreign Ministry.
Qatar announced that both governments would create mechanisms to strengthen long-term stability. They also planned more meetings soon to maintain the truce. Turkish negotiators actively supported the peace deal. Violence had grown rapidly since early this month, with each side accusing the other of aggression. Afghanistan rejected Pakistan’s claims that it shelters militants who launch attacks along the shared frontier.
Ceasefire Follows Deadly Strikes
Pakistan has faced rising militancy near its western border since 2021, when the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan. Fighting has endangered an already fragile region, where groups like Islamic State and al-Qaeda seek revival.
On Friday, hours after a 48-hour truce expired, Pakistan launched strikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika province. Islamabad said it targeted militants from the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group and eliminated dozens of fighters without civilian casualties. Pakistani officials said the action answered a suicide bombing at a security compound in Mir Ali, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the day before.
Taliban authorities countered that Pakistani air raids killed at least ten civilians, including women, children, and local cricket players. The Afghan Cricket Board then withdrew from an upcoming tournament in Pakistan. The International Cricket Council expressed sorrow over the deaths of three young Afghan players.
Ongoing Tensions Along the Durand Line
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid condemned what he called “repeated crimes” by Pakistani forces and said the attacks violated Afghanistan’s sovereignty. He accused Islamabad of deliberately escalating the conflict. Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, urged Afghan leaders to prioritise “mutual security over perpetual violence” and curb militants operating from Afghan territory.
Delegations from both countries gathered in Doha to continue negotiations. The neighbours share the 2,600-kilometre Durand Line, which Afghanistan refuses to recognise, calling it a colonial-era imposition that divided Pashtun tribes. Kabul instead acknowledges the 1947 boundaries, which include contested lands now inside Pakistan. The dispute has fuelled decades of armed clashes and ongoing tension over border control and tribal allegiance.
