Pakistan, Afghanistan reach an immediate ceasefire agreement

Qatar's Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday that Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to an "immediate" ceasefire during talks in Doha, after at least 10 people were killed in Pakistani airstrikes following a previous truce.

The ministry said in a statement that during the talks, the two sides agreed "on an immediate ceasefire and the establishment of mechanisms to consolidate lasting peace and stability between the two countries."

The statement added, "The two parties also agreed to hold follow-up meetings in the next few days to ensure the sustainability of the ceasefire and verify its implementation in a reliable and sustainable manner, contributing to achieving security and stability in both countries."

Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, who participated in the Doha talks, confirmed that a ceasefire agreement had been reached and said the two sides would meet again in Istanbul on October 25.

Kabul accused Islamabad on Friday of violating the truce after strikes resulted in killing at least 10 civilians, among them two children and three cricketers, in the eastern province of Paktika.

Pakistani security sources reported that the strikes targeted an armed group linked to the Pakistani Taliban in the Afghan border areas, following an attack that killed two Pakistani soldiers in North Waziristan, a region located in northwestern Pakistan.

This was preceded by a truce that ended two weeks of border clashes that killed dozens of soldiers and civilians on both sides.

Pakistani security sources confirmed on Friday that Islamabad had carried out "precision airstrikes" on Afghan territory against a "terrorist" group accused of being responsible for an attack earlier that day.

A senior Taliban official told AFP, who preferred to remain anonymous that "Pakistan violated the ceasefire and bombed three positions in Paktika province" in the east of the country," adding that "Afghanistan will respond."

However, Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Saturday that Kabul, while having "the right to respond to these violations," had ordered its forces to refrain from launching new military operations "in order to preserve the dignity and cohesion of its negotiating team."

The two countries had reached a truce on Wednesday after days of bloody clashes, before tensions flared again on Friday.

When the truce began at 13:00 GMT on Wednesday, Islamabad said it would last for 48 hours, but Kabul said the ceasefire would remain in place until Pakistan violated it.

A Taliban government spokesman stated that Afghan forces had been ordered not to attack unless Pakistani forces opened fire first.

Regaining Control

The truce lasted for two days after clashes spread to Kabul where explosions took place and killed dozens.

Since the Pakistani airstrikes on Friday evening, calm has returned to the border, according to AFP correspondents in the area.

Violence erupted on both sides of the border on October 11, days after explosions witnessed in the Afghan capital, Kabul, coinciding with an unprecedented visit by the Afghan Foreign Minister to India.

Afghan Taliban Forces responded by launching an attack near the southern border with Pakistan, prompting Islamabad to vow a strong response.

J.J