Afghanistan, Pakistan agree to immediate ceasefire after deadly border clashes

The agreement was reached after talks in Doha, mediated by Qatar and Turkey, aimed at ending one of the deadliest crises between the two neighbors in years.

According to the Qatari statement, both sides will establish mechanisms to maintain peace and stability and hold follow-up meetings in the coming days to ensure the ceasefire endures.

The truce comes after Pakistan launched airstrikes in Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province late Friday, just hours after a 48-hour ceasefire expired.

Islamabad said the strikes targeted hideouts of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group in retaliation for a suicide bombing at a security compound in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Pakistani officials claimed the raids killed “dozens of armed fighters” with no civilian casualties.

However, Afghan authorities reported at least 10 civilian deaths, including women, children, and several cricketers, sparking outrage and a boycott of an upcoming cricket series in Pakistan.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid condemned what he called Pakistan’s “repeated crimes” and violations of Afghan sovereignty, accusing Islamabad of deliberately trying to prolong the conflict.

The two countries share a 2,611-kilometer (1,622-mile) border known as the Durand Line, which Afghanistan does not recognize.

The recent flare-up has heightened tensions in a region already destabilized by the resurgence of militant groups such as ISIS and al-Qaida.

Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, urged Kabul to prioritize “mutual security over perpetual violence,” warning that the Taliban must rein in militant proxies operating from Afghan soil.