Pakistan, Afghanistan hold peace talks in Qatar after latest clashes
Kabul accused Islamabad of violating a recent ceasefire following cross-border clashes that killed dozens of troops and civilians
Pakistan and Afghan officials were holding peace talks in Qatar on Saturday, a day after Islamabad launched air strikes that killed at least 10 people in Afghanistan and broke a ceasefire that had brought two days of calm to the border.
The strikes targeted what Pakistan security sources said was a militant group linked to the Pakistani Taliban in the Afghan border areas, following an attack that killed Pakistani paramilitary troops in North Waziristan, a district in Pakistan’s northwest.
Kabul accused Islamabad late on Friday of violating the truce, which had briefly paused nearly a week of cross-border clashes that killed dozens of troops and civilians on both sides.
“The talks will focus on immediate measures to end cross-border terrorism against Pakistan emanating from Afghanistan and restore peace and stability along the Pak-Afghan border,” Pakistan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and intelligence chief General Asim Malik were part of the Doha delegation, state TV reported.