News - Middle East: Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to an “immediate ceasefire” following negotiations in Doha, Qatar’s foreign ministry announces, capping a week of deadly border clashes between the neighbors.

The truce was brokered during talks mediated by Qatar and Turkey on Saturday, the ministry added.

It said both sides had committed to holding follow-up meetings “to ensure the sustainability of the ceasefire and verify its implementation in a reliable and lasting manner.”

The agreement came after some of the worst instances of violence between the countries since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021 that left dozens dead and hundreds more injured.

Afghan and Pakistani delegations, led respectively by the Taliban’s Defense Minister Mullah Muhammad Yaqoob and Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, met in Doha to explore ways to de-escalate tensions.

The 2,600-kilometer border, long a flashpoint between the two sides, saw Pakistani airstrikes and fierce ground fighting last week after Islamabad accused Kabul of harboring militants behind a surge in attacks on Pakistani forces.

Afghanistan has denied the allegation, accusing Pakistan’s military of spreading “misinformation” and sheltering Daesh-linked militants to undermine Kabul’s sovereignty, charges Islamabad firmly rejects.

Also on Saturday, Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir echoed the charges, saying that “the Afghan regime must rein in the proxies who have sanctuaries in Afghanistan and are using Afghan soil to perpetrate heinous attacks inside Pakistan.”

Tensions spiked on Friday when reports said an attacker had killed seven Pakistani soldiers and injured 13 near the border. The report was followed by Pakistani strikes.

Afghan officials said the air raids targeted civilians in Paktika Province, warning that Kabul “reserved the right to respond,” but had ordered its forces to respect the Doha talks.

Adding to the fallout, Afghanistan withdrew from next month’s Twenty20 tri-nation cricket series in Pakistan, saying three Afghan players had been killed in the same strikes.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar defended the operation, saying strikes hit “verified militant camps” and not civilian targets.

He said over 100 militants had been killed, including members of the group behind Friday’s attack.

If it holds, the Doha ceasefire is hoped to mark a step towards de-escalation after years of mistrust and recrimination between Islamabad and Kabul.

Source: Press TV