Pakistan, Afghanistan Agree to Ceasefire After Negotiations in Qatar

Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire after conducting negotiations in Qatar's capital city of Doha.

The two countries had been experiencing border clashes for over a week, leading to the deaths of dozens of citizens. Read more into the initial stages of the conflict here.

Pakistan believed that the Taliban in Afghanistan were harboring members of the Tehrik-i-Taliban, also known as the TTP or Pakistani Taliban, which aim to destabilize the Pakistani government. The TTP believes that their ways of strict, Sharia Law-focused Islamic law are the only ways that will further the development of Pakistan, but they are considered to be a terrorist organization due to their violent actions against the Pakistani government. These violent actions include suicide bombings, missile barrages, and kidnappings of innocent workers, giving them this label.

The Afghani Taliban, on the other hand, strongly denied these claims, arguing that the Pakistani allegations were completely baseless and that the Taliban have absolutely no affiliation with the TTP.

Nevertheless, Pakistan launched several strikes on Afghanistan, targeting TTP members in a similar fashion of how Israel targeted members of Hamas. The Taliban were then forced to respond, triggering a wider border conflict. Multiple intermittent agreements and ceasefires were made for the short term, but none of them were able to put a permanent end to the battles.

However, Pakistan's defense minister confirmed on social media yesterday that both sides have accepted an official ceasefire meant to end the fighting. The ceasefire was the product of several days of intense negotiations in the Qatari capital of Doha, with mediators from both Qatar and Turkey participating in the process.

They did add, though, that both sides will meet in Istanbul on October 25 to work out several final details, suggesting that the ceasefire is still fragile.

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Image credit to Al Jazeera