KABUL, Nov 08 (AP/AFP): Afghanistan's Taliban government said Saturday the ceasefire with Pakistan will hold, despite the failure of talks meant to cement a truce which halted a week of clashes that killed dozens.
"There is no issue with the ceasefire previously agreed upon with Pakistan, it will hold," Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told a news conference. "We thank friendly countries, Qatar and Turkey, but we do not see anything (further) to do for now."
Peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Istanbul have ended without agreement, with the sides trading blame for the breakdown in negotiations aimed at easing border tensions and upholding a fragile ceasefire, officials said Saturday.
Tensions have escalated in recent weeks following deadly border fighting that killed dozens of soldiers and civilians. The violence erupted after explosions in Kabul on Oct. 9, which Afghanistan's Taliban government said were drone strikes conducted by Pakistan and vowed to avenge. The clashes subsided after Qatar brokered a ceasefire on Oct. 19, which remains tenuously in place.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Taliban government, blamed Pakistan for the talks' failure, writing on X that "the irresponsible and non-cooperative attitude of the Pakistani delegation resulted in no outcome, despite the Islamic Emirate's good intentions and the efforts of the mediators."
Mujahid reiterated that Afghanistan "will not allow anyone to use its territory against another country, nor permit actions that undermine its sovereignty or security."
The two-day talks in Istanbul, mediated by Turkey and Qatar, were the third round of peace negotiations that were viewed as one of the most significant diplomatic efforts between the two neighbors since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan 2021. Despite intense back-channel diplomacy, officials said discussions stalled late Friday without tangible progress.
Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told the private Geo News channel late Friday that the "talks are over" and that the Pakistani delegation was returning home with "no plan for any future meetings." He added that the ceasefire would remain in place as long as "it is not violated from the Afghan side."
Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan's Taliban rulers of harboring the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group responsible for a surge in attacks inside Pakistan since 2021. Kabul denies the charge, saying it does not allow its territory to be used against other countries.
The collapse of talks came the night after Afghan officials reported that four civilians were killed and five others wounded in cross-border clashes despite the ongoing negotiations.
Asif said the Afghan delegation came "without any program" and refused to sign a written agreement, insisting only on verbal assurances. "They said they would respect a verbal agreement, but there is no room for that," he said. "There is no plan or hope for any fourth round of talks. Talks have entered an indefinite pause."
Earlier this month, Pakistan's military said it carried out airstrikes on the hideouts of the Pakistani Taliban inside Afghanistan, killing dozens of people it described as insurgents.
