The ceasefire between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which broke down after the Pakistani attack, will be the subject of talks in Qatar, Pakistan’s state television reported on Saturday (October 18).
The channel reported that Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Pakistan’s intelligence chief Lt. Gen. Asim Malik will visit Qatar today for talks with the Afghan Taliban. The Taliban government confirmed the talks on Saturday morning. “A high-level delegation from the Islamic Emirates, led by Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqoob, left for Doha today. (Saturday) »Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid announced, at X.
The talks came as Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika province on Friday evening killed at least ten civilians, according to Kabul, which accused its neighbor of violating its ceasefire. Three Afghan cricketers were killed in Friday’s attack. Their funerals will be held on Saturday morning, a relative of the deceased told AFP.
As part of a cease-fire that began Wednesday at 3 p.m. (Paris time), Pakistan confirmed that the ceasefire should last forty-eight hours, but Afghanistan assumed that it would remain in force until the opposing side violated it. When it expired as per the Islamabad-announced deadline, neither side mentioned an extension or formally announced bilateral talks.
A senior Taliban official gave the assurance to AFP on Friday evening, “Afghanistan will post again.n According to AFP correspondents in the region, no gunfire was heard during the night in the Pakistani attack. Zabihullah Mujahid’s estimate, that Dr. on Friday evening “discussion” can “Solve the problem”.
Outbreak of violence
The ceasefire brought calm to the border region and Kabul after an outbreak of violence of rare intensity. Dozens of fighters, but also civilians, have died in the clashes, especially on Wednesday.
The ball was in Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s court on Thursday “at camp” Afghan authorities have again condemned the incident for a long-running ceasefire “Terrorists operate with impunity on the Afghan side of the border”.. “Pakistan expects strong and verifiable action from the Taliban regime against these terrorist elements”Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan gave this assurance in a press conference. “Try to work through diplomatic channels (…) Make it Sustainable » ceasefire.
The conflict began last week after an explosion in the Afghan capital, which Taliban authorities blamed on neighboring Pakistan. In retaliation, they launched an attack on the border last Saturday, which Islamabad had promised a “strong response”.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said Thursday that it had killed 37 civilians and wounded 425 on the Afghan side of the border in recent days, calling on both sides to end hostilities. “sustainable”.
Calm has returned to the Afghan capital, where fresh explosions erupted shortly before a ceasefire was announced on Wednesday. They were not claimed, but Pakistani security sources said “Precise Strike” against an armed group. Last week, the first explosion occurred at the start of an unprecedented visit by the Taliban’s diplomatic chief to India, Pakistan’s arch-enemy.
