FILE – Residents and rescue employees examine the positioning of an airstrike at a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 17, 2026.
Siddiqullah Alizai/AP
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Siddiqullah Alizai/AP
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan on Thursday confirmed it was holding peace talks with Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities in China, the place Beijing is attempting to dealer an enduring ceasefire after weeks of combating which have killed lots of, disrupting commerce and cross-border journey.
The affirmation of the brand new spherical of talks got here a day after officers from the 2 sides instructed The Related Press that representatives from the international locations had traveled to Urumqi in western China for them.
It was unclear who’s representing Pakistan within the talks. Afghanistan’s Overseas Ministry spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi stated in a publish on X that “a mid-level delegation” from his nation had traveled to Urumqi for the negotiations following a request from China.
Balkhi stated Afghanistan believes diplomatic engagement grounded in mutual respect and non-interference might help produce “sensible and lasting options” to bilateral points.
In Islamabad, Pakistan’s Overseas Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi instructed a information briefing that the talks are ongoing. “Sure, Pakistan has despatched a delegation to Urumqi, in keeping with its constant place and longstanding observe of supporting a reputable course of that may assist discover a sturdy answer to cross-border terrorism from Afghanistan,” he stated.
Pakistan says success of talks lies with Afghanistan
Andrabi stated success of the talks largely relies on Kabul.
“The burden of an actual course of lies with Afghanistan, which should display seen and verifiable motion towards terrorist teams utilizing Afghan soil towards Pakistan,” he stated.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in assaults in recent times, many claimed by the Pakistani Taliban. A suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden car right into a police station within the Bannu district of northwestern Pakistan late Thursday, killing no less than 5 individuals and wounding a number of others, native police chief Rafi Ullah stated.
Pakistan usually accuses Afghanistan of offering a protected haven to militants who perform assaults inside Pakistan, particularly the Pakistani Taliban, often called Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP. The group is separate from however allied with the Afghan Taliban, which took over Afghanistan in 2021 following the chaotic withdrawal of U.S.-led troops. Kabul denies the cost.
The combating between the 2 sides has been the deadliest since February, when Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities stated Pakistan launched strikes in Kabul and a number of other different areas, inflicting principally civilian casualties. Pakistan has stated it focused hideouts of TTP. Pakistan additionally has stated it’s in “open warfare” with Afghanistan.
Andrabi stated Pakistan has by no means shied away from dialogue on the difficulty. “We stay engaged with the Chinese language management on this situation and different related worldwide companions,” he stated, however maintained that Pakistan is looking for written assurances from Kabul that Afghan soil is not going to be used for assaults towards Pakistan.
Although China has not formally confirmed the talks, the Chinese language Overseas Ministry on Thursday stated Xi Jinping’s authorities has been “actively mediating and facilitating the decision of conflicts between Afghanistan and Pakistan.” Overseas Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning stated China has “all the time supported each side in resolving their variations by means of dialogue and negotiation.”
Afghanistan says Pakistan’s shelling continues
Regardless of the peace talks, Pakistan’s operations towards the Pakistani Taliban alongside the border with Afghanistan and different militant teams will proceed, in keeping with Andrabi.
Afghanistan’s deputy authorities spokesperson, Hamdullah Fitrat, posted on X on Thursday evening that Pakistan since Wednesday had been “repeatedly finishing up mortar, missile and drone assaults” on the jap Afghan provinces of Kunar, Paktika and Khost. He stated two individuals had been killed and 25 individuals, principally youngsters, had been wounded.
On Thursday, he stated, Pakistan had fired 185 long-range artillery shells into one district in Kunar, wounding 10 individuals, whereas 178 long-range artillery and mortar shells hit different areas of Kunar, inflicting no casualties.
Andrabi dismissed an earlier accusation by a police spokesperson in Kunar who stated on Wednesday that mortars fired from Pakistan had killed two civilians and wounded one other six. Andrabi stated Pakistan conducts operations towards militants with care to keep away from civilian casualties.
Tensions have been particularly excessive since final month, when Afghanistan stated a Pakistani airstrike at a drug-treatment heart in Kabul killed greater than 400 individuals. The demise toll couldn’t be independently confirmed, and Pakistan has disputed the declare. It denied concentrating on civilians, saying it struck an ammunition depot in Kabul.
The newest peace talks in China adopted earlier rounds held in Qatar and Turkey, throughout which the 2 sides agreed to a ceasefire which largely remained in place till Pakistan carried out strikes in Kabul and elsewhere in Afghanistan in late February, triggering border clashes.
Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban have a historical past of tense relations, however the ongoing violence has alarmed the worldwide group, significantly as a result of aside from outlawed TTP, different militant teams corresponding to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group stay current within the area and have sought to regroup.
