Pakistan and Taliban-Led Afghanistan Agree to Immediate Ceasefire After Deadliest Border Clashes in Years
Pakistan and the Taliban-led government of Afghanistan have agreed to a fresh immediate ceasefire, Qatar’s foreign ministry announced early Sunday, October 19, 2025. The breakthrough came during high-stakes talks in Doha, mediated by Qatar and Turkey, following over a week of deadly confrontations along the porous and disputed 1,600-mile border shared by the two nations.
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| Image Source: Rafiullah Nizkad |
Crucially, Kabul has pledged not to allow Afghan territory to be used as a base for groups launching attacks against Pakistan -- a longstanding point of contention between the two neighbours.
Fighting had erupted on October 10, when Afghanistan accused Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes in the capital, Kabul, and responded with retaliatory military action.
Since then, the situation has spiraled, resulting in dozens of civilian and military casualties, and drawing condemnation from humanitarian agencies.
Pakistan, meanwhile, has repeatedly alleged that Afghanistan harbors members of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Pakistani Taliban — a claim that Kabul has consistently denied.
This weekend’s talks followed a failed 48-hour ceasefire declared earlier in the week, which was extended Friday but saw continued border skirmishes, including fresh airstrikes and artillery exchanges.
As the diplomatic delegation from Kabul arrived in Doha, Pakistan was again accused of bombing civilian areas in Afghanistan’s Paktika province. The Afghan military claimed eight people -- including three cricket players -- were killed in the strike, prompting Afghanistan’s cricket board to pull out of an upcoming tri-nation tournament featuring Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Pakistan has refuted the civilian casualty claims, saying its airstrikes targeted verified militant camps and were launched in self-defense following fresh attacks by insurgents during the supposed ceasefire period. Islamabad insists that its strikes were precise and denies any violation of Afghan sovereignty.
The current flare-up marks the deadliest period of conflict between the two sides since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Once considered close allies, Pakistan and the Taliban-led administration have found themselves increasingly at odds, largely due to Islamabad’s claims that the TTP operates freely from Afghan soil.
The TTP, though separate from the Afghan Taliban, shares ideological and operational linkages, and has conducted more than 600 attacks in Pakistan over the past year, according to figures from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED).
International concern has been growing as civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported at least three dozen civilian deaths and hundreds of injuries resulting from the ongoing clashes.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s internal situation remains volatile, with thousands of Afghan refugees living in precarious conditions, and recent demolition drives adding to the humanitarian pressure.
The talks in Doha are being closely watched by regional powers and global actors, particularly the United States, whose President Donald Trump recently met with the Emir of Qatar during a Middle East summit in Egypt.
Trump has sought to position Qatar as a key mediator in the region, even as Washington itself remains entangled in debates over troop deployments and security guarantees post its withdrawal from Afghanistan.
However, for now, the guns have fallen silent -- and for civilians caught in the middle, that may be enough of a start.