Աֆղանստանն ու Պակիստանը միմյանց մեղադրում են միջսահմանային մահացու հրդեհների մեջ

Pakistan and Afghanistan, on Thursday, November 6, traded blame for cross-border fighting, as delegations from both countries were in Turkey for talks to conclude a ceasefire following deadly clashes.

The Istanbul talks are intended to finalise a truce that was approved on October 19 in Qatar, which ended a week of deadly clashes between the South Asian neighbor countries.

Earlier in the afternoon, cross-border fire was reported in the Afghan border city of Spin Boldak, located in the southern Afghan province of Kandahar. Five people were killed during the cross-border shooting, an anonymous official at the Spin Boldak district hospital told AFP: "Five people died in today's incident – four women and one man – and six were wounded." There was no immediate report of victims from the Pakistani side.

The two countries quickly blamed each other for initiating the fire. Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Taliban authorities, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that "we don't know the reason" for the Pakistani fire.

Pakistan denied the accusation and put the blame on Afghanistan. "We strongly reject claims circulated by the Afghan side," Pakistan's Information Ministry said on X. "Firing was initiated from the Afghan side, to which our security forces responded immediately in a measured and responsible manner."

Local residents told AFP that the shooting lasted 10-15 minutes, and Pakistan confirmed that calm had been restored.

Talks at an impasse

"While the third round of negotiations with the Pakistani side has begun in Istanbul, unfortunately, this afternoon Pakistani forces once again opened fire on Spin Boldak," Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said. "The Islamic Emirate's forces, out of respect for the negotiation team and to prevent civilian casualties, have so far shown no reaction," the official added on X.

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Negotiations in Istanbul reached an impasse last week when it came to finalising ceasefire details, with each side accusing the other of not being willing to cooperate. Both sides also warned of a resumption of hostilities in case of failure.

Read more Subscribers only Rivalry between New Delhi and Islamabad underpins border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan

At the conclusion of last week's talks, Turkey said that the parties had agreed to establish a monitoring and verification mechanism to maintain peace and penalise violators.

Dozens killed in clashes in October

According to the United Nations, 50 civilians were killed and 447 others wounded on the Afghan side of the border during a week of clashes in October. At least five people died in explosions in Kabul. The Pakistani army, meanwhile, reported that 23 of its soldiers were killed and 29 others wounded, without mentioning civilian casualties.

Security issues are at the heart of their dispute, with Islamabad accusing Kabul of harbouring militant groups, particularly the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), that launch attacks in Pakistan. The Taliban government has denied these allegations.

The Taliban government, meanwhile, wants Afghanistan's territorial sovereignty to be respected.

Islamabad also accuses the Afghan government of acting with the support of India, its historical enemy, amid closer ties between these two countries.

Read more Subscribers only India presses its advantage in Afghanistan

Le Monde with AFP

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