Pakistan and Afghanistan on Friday agreed to extend their 48-hour ceasefire until peace talks in Doha conclude, according to senior security sources. A Pakistani delegation has already reached Doha, with Afghan representatives expected on Saturday, signaling renewed diplomatic efforts to ease the border tensions.
The announcement came hours after a deadly suicide attack near the Afghan border killed seven Pakistani soldiers in North Waziristan. Militants rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a military camp before being shot dead by security forces. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s office confirmed six militants were killed in the assault.
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Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid later said Kabul would honor the ceasefire “as long as Pakistan refrains from attacks.” However, Afghan officials claimed Pakistan conducted new airstrikes in Paktika province, reportedly killing eight local cricketers, further straining the truce.
The temporary truce paused several days of fierce fighting that left dozens dead and hundreds wounded along the border. Both sides have accused each other of harboring militants and escalating violence, while regional mediators including Saudi Arabia and Qatar push for restraint.
