Afghanistan and Pakistan trade blame for ceasefire violations amid Istanbul talks

Hours after Afghanistan accused Pakistani forces of briefly firing across the border, Pakistan on Thursday rejected the allegation, saying the clashes were initiated by Afghan troops.

“We strongly reject claims circulated by the Afghan side regarding today’s incident at the Pak-Afghan border at Chaman,” Pakistan’s Information Ministry said on X.

“Firing was initiated from the Afghan side, to which our security forces responded immediately in a measured and responsible manner.”

The incident took place as delegations from both countries were in Turkey for talks that are intended to finalise a truce approved on October 19 in Qatar that ended a week of deadly clashes between the South Asian neighbours.

Security issues are at the heart of their dispute, with Islamabad accusing Kabul of harbouring militant groups, particularly the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), that launch attacks in Pakistan, accusations the Taliban government denies.

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“While the third round of negotiations with the Pakistani side has begun in Istanbul, unfortunately, this afternoon Pakistani forces once again opened fire on Spin Boldak, causing concern among the local population,” Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.

“The Islamic Emirate’s forces, out of respect for the negotiation team and to prevent civilian casualties, have so far shown no reaction,” he added on X.

Ali Mohammed Haqmal, head of the information department in Kandahar province, said the exchange was brief, while residents told AFP it lasted around 10 to 15 minutes.

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An Afghan military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that “Pakistan used light and heavy weapons and targeted civilian areas.”

Ceasefire negotiations held in Istanbul last week ended in deadlock, with both sides accusing each other of refusing to cooperate. Each also warned that hostilities could resume if talks failed.

Turkey, which hosted the discussions, said the parties had agreed to create a “monitoring and verification mechanism” to help uphold the truce and sanction any violations.

According to the United Nations, a week of border clashes in October left 50 Afghan civilians dead and 447 wounded, while five others were killed in explosions in Kabul.

Pakistan’s army reported 23 soldiers killed and 29 wounded during the same period, without mentioning civilian casualties.

The Taliban government has called for respect for Afghanistan’s territorial sovereignty, while Islamabad accuses Kabul of receiving backing from India — its longtime rival — amid growing ties between the two countries.

With inputs from agencies