Afghanistan and Pakistan exchange fire as ceasefire talks resume in Turkiye

The truce talks are aimed astatine finalising a ceasefire reached successful Qatar past period pursuing deadly clashes.

Pakistan and Afghanistan person traded blasted for little cross-border fighting, arsenic delegations from some countries met successful Turkiye for talks aimed astatine securing a ceasefire pursuing deadly clashes past month.

Thursday’s talks successful Istanbul are intended to finalise a truce approved connected October 19 successful Qatar that ended a week of deadly clashes betwixt the South Asian neighbours, which killed dozens of people, including soldiers and civilians, and wounded hundreds of others.

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Security issues are astatine the bosom of their dispute, with Islamabad accusing Kabul of harbouring groups specified arsenic the Pakistan Taliban (TTP), which is accused of launching attacks successful Pakistan. The Taliban authorities successful Afghanistan denies these allegations.

“While the 3rd circular of negotiations with the Pakistani broadside has begun successful Istanbul, unfortunately, this day Pakistani forces erstwhile again opened occurrence connected Spin Boldak, causing interest among the section population,” Afghan authorities spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said connected Thursday.

The metropolis of Spin Boldak is located successful the confederate Afghan state of Kandahar.

“The Islamic Emirate’s forces, retired of respect for the dialog squad and to forestall civilian casualties, person truthful acold shown nary reaction,” Mujahid said connected X.

Pakistan denied the accusation, pinning the blasted connected Afghanistan.

“We powerfully cull claims circulated by the Afghan broadside regarding today’s incidental astatine the Pak-Afghan borderline astatine Chaman,” Pakistan’s Ministry of Information & Broadcasting posted connected X. “Firing was initiated from the Afghan side, to which our information forces responded instantly successful a measured and liable manner.”

Hamdullah Fitrat, lawman spokesperson for the Taliban authorities, told the AFP quality bureau that “we don’t cognize the reason” for the Pakistani fire.

Ali Mohammed Haqmal, caput of Kandahar’s accusation department, said the firing was brief. Residents told AFP it lasted 10-15 minutes.

Pakistan confirmed that calm had been restored.

Negotiations successful Istanbul reached an impasse past week erstwhile it came to finalising ceasefire details, with each broadside accusing the different of not being consenting to cooperate.

Both sides besides warned of a resumption of hostilities successful lawsuit of failure.

Despite the ceasefire, each important borderline crossings betwixt Pakistan and Afghanistan stay closed to commercialized and civilian movement. The crossings were unopen connected October 12, though Pakistan has partially reopened 2 of those to let Afghan refugees to instrumentality home.

Host Turkiye said astatine the decision of past week’s talks that the parties had agreed to found a monitoring and verification mechanics to support bid and penalise violators.

Fifty civilians were killed and 447 others wounded connected the Afghan broadside of the borderline during clashes that began connected October 9, according to the United Nations. At slightest 5 radical died successful explosions successful Kabul that the Taliban authorities blamed connected Pakistan.

The Pakistani service reported 23 of its soldiers were killed and 29 others wounded, without mentioning civilian casualties.