Afghanistan and Pakistan are holding talks in İstanbul on Saturday aimed at formalizing a ceasefire along their shared border following two weeks of deadly clashes that killed dozens of soldiers and civilians.
The violence began after explosions in central Kabul, which Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government blamed on Pakistan. In retaliation, Afghan forces launched attacks along the border, prompting Islamabad to carry out what it described as “precision strikes” on armed groups inside Afghan territory.
The hostilities led to multiple failed ceasefires until Qatar and Turkey helped broker a new truce in Doha last week. Saturday’s talks in İstanbul are expected to finalize “mechanisms” to sustain stability, though details and timing of the meeting remain unclear.
The Afghan delegation, led by Deputy Interior Minister Haji Najib, left Kabul on Friday. Pakistan has not announced who will represent it. Kabul’s priority is to safeguard territorial integrity, while Islamabad wants the discussions to address cross-border militant threats, particularly from the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), which it accuses Afghanistan of sheltering.
Analysts say the meeting could define how the two countries manage future crises. Ibraheem Bahiss, an Afghanistan analyst with the International Crisis Group, told AFP the talks would focus on intelligence-sharing protocols that could allow Afghanistan to act against anti-Pakistan militants based on Pakistani intelligence rather than Islamabad conducting unilateral strikes.
However, Bahiss warned that such technical arrangements might not resolve deeper tensions driving the cycle of escalation.
Pakistan was long a key backer of the Taliban, viewing them as a strategic counterweight to India. The recent clashes erupted just as the Taliban’s foreign minister was visiting India in a sign of shifting regional alignments.
Turkey, which is hosting the talks, has praised the decision by both sides to pursue mechanisms for “peace and stability” and pledged continued diplomatic support.
© Agence France-Presse