Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to continue their fragile ceasefire following a five-day negotiation in Istanbul, Turkey, announced the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Thursday, October 30. The two South Asian neighbors, whose relations deteriorated after the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 2021, have been locked in escalating border clashes over alleged support for the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban of sheltering TTP militants responsible for attacks in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, while Afghanistan denies the claims. The latest tensions erupted after Pakistan launched an airstrike in Kabul on October 9, killing several top TTP leaders. In retaliation, Afghan forces attacked Pakistani military posts along the Durand Line, leading to days of intense fighting that claimed more than 200 Afghan and 23 Pakistani soldiers’ lives. After a temporary ceasefire on October 15, fresh diplomatic efforts began in Doha, later moving to Istanbul under Qatari and Turkish mediation. Both nations have now agreed to avoid hostilities until the next meeting on November 6 in Istanbul to finalize ceasefire conditions. Turkey emphasized the importance of restraint and dialogue to maintain regional stability.