30 killed in fierce Pakistan-Afghanistan border clash amid Istanbul peace talks

Even as peace talks continue in Istanbul, Turkey, a deadly clash has erupted along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. 

According to a statement released Sunday by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), five Pakistani soldiers and 25 militants were killed in the fighting.
The incident occurred amid ongoing peace negotiations in Istanbul aimed at ending years of deadly conflict between the two neighboring countries.
According to the ISPR statement, on Friday and Saturday, militants attempted to infiltrate Pakistan’s Kurram and North Waziristan districts from Afghan territory. The statement added that Pakistani forces successfully repelled the infiltration attempts in these rugged northwestern border areas.
The ISPR further stated that these infiltration attempts have raised doubts about the intentions of the Afghan government, especially after its repeated pledges to prevent terrorism from Afghan soil.
However, the Taliban government in Afghanistan did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to the British news agency Reuters.
The Taliban have consistently denied allegations of harboring militants and have accused Pakistan of violating Afghanistan’s sovereignty through cross-border military operations.
Earlier this month, following clashes between the two armies, Pakistani and Afghan officials began meeting in Istanbul to avoid further escalation. This latest incident marks the deadliest border conflict between the two countries since the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in 2021.
Pakistan has long urged Kabul to take action against militants based on Afghan soil who carry out attacks across the border.
Following recent militant attacks that killed more than 23 Pakistani soldiers, the Pakistani military conducted airstrikes in Kabul and another Afghan province. This led to retaliatory attacks by both sides. To end the hostilities, the two nations signed a ceasefire agreement in Doha last Sunday.
On Saturday, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif stated that the ceasefire remains in effect and expressed belief that Afghanistan desires peace. However, he warned that if no final agreement is reached in Istanbul, a large-scale war could break out with Afghanistan.
The Pakistani military identified the attackers as members of a group called “Fitna al-Kharij.” Pakistani authorities use this term to describe militant organizations influenced by extremist ideologies and backed by foreign sponsors.

HKJ