Officials from Afghanistan and Pakistan are holding a third day of talks in Istanbul today in a bid to reach a lasting peace agreement, after earlier discussions failed to produce a breakthrough, according to Reuters.
The negotiations, mediated by Turkey, follow a ceasefire reached in Doha on October 19 after days of deadly border clashes that left dozens dead — the worst fighting since the Taliban took power in Kabul in 2021.
Two Pakistani security sources accused the Afghan Taliban of not cooperating fully with the dialogue process, stressing that Islamabad would not compromise on its “core demands on cross-border terrorism.”
However, a Taliban delegate dismissed those claims as “false”, saying the talks were proceeding in a “friendly environment”. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid also said on state broadcaster RTA that the “Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan supports dialogue” as the path to resolving disputes.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the discussions, while Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned on Saturday that failure to reach an agreement could lead to “open war”.
The recent clashes were sparked by a Pakistani air strike in Kabul targeting the head of the Pakistani Taliban, a group separate from the Afghan Taliban. The Taliban retaliated with attacks on Pakistani military posts along the 2,600-kilometre border.
Pakistan accuses the Taliban government of harbouring the Pakistani Taliban, who launch attacks from Afghan territory — an allegation Kabul denies. The Pakistani military said on Sunday that five soldiers and 25 militants were killed in weekend clashes near the frontier.
During his visit to Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, US President Donald Trump reiterated his offer to mediate between the two neighbours, saying, “I’ll get that solved very quickly, I know them both.”
Source: Reuters
