Pakistan Afghanistan ceasefire: Erdogan offers Turkey mediation after six days of border clashes

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has offered to mediate a new Pakistan Afghanistan ceasefire as border clashes continue into a sixth day. The fighting followed Afghan retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes and ended a previous Qatar and Turkey-brokered truce. Erdogan raised the proposal with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and condemned recent terrorist attacks in Pakistan.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday offered to help restore a ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The offer came as border fighting entered its sixth day. The renewed clashes have raised concern abroad. Pakistan has said it is in an open war with Afghanistan. Afghanistan began attacks on Thursday after earlier Pakistani airstrikes.

According to a statement from the Turkish presidential office, Erdogan spoke by phone with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Erdogan condemned the terrorist attacks in Pakistan. Erdogan also said Turkey would try to support a return to a truce. Sharif's office did not directly confirm the mediation offer.

Pakistan Afghanistan ceasefire offer and border tensions

Sharif's office said the leaders reviewed tensions along the 2,611-km-long Afghan-Pakistan border. The statement said the two exchanged views on recent developments. It also said they would "remain in closer contact in our shared pursuit of peace and stability in the region.\" There was no immediate comment from the Taliban government.

Kabul may view Erdogan’s comments as favouring Islamabad. Turkey has had contacts with Afghan officials as well. Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan spoke with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi last week. The ministry gave no further details about the cross-border situation.

Pakistan Afghanistan ceasefire talks and earlier Qatar-Turkey truce

The new violence ended a previous ceasefire that Qatar and Turkey helped arrange in October. The truce was signed in Qatar after both neighbours again neared war. It was followed by six days of talks in Istanbul. Those meetings produced an agreement to extend the truce and plan talks in November.

Negotiations on Nov 6 and Nov 7 did not deliver a breakthrough. After that, the process stalled. The current fighting has centred on Pakistan’s border areas. Clashes have been reported in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and southwestern Balochistan province. Both sides have claimed to have caused heavy losses.

Pakistan Afghanistan ceasefire and casualty claims in border fighting

Casualty figures have differed widely and remain unverified. The border zone is hard to access for journalists. Militant groups, including al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, also operate there. The Associated Press said it could not independently confirm any casualty claims. Reports from both governments have not matched.

Afghanistan’s Defence Ministry said Wednesday its forces killed or wounded dozens more enemy soldiers. On Tuesday, the ministry said Afghan forces killed 150 Pakistani soldiers over five days. It also said 28 Afghan troops were killed in the same period. Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Wednesday 481 Afghan troops died in six days.

Pakistan Afghanistan ceasefire prospects and TTP demands

Pakistan has linked any peace to action against militants based in Afghanistan. On Wednesday, Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir said peace depends on the Afghan Taliban cutting ties with fighters targeting Pakistan. Field Marshal Asim Munir warned Islamabad would take all necessary measures against threats from Afghan soil.

Islamabad has also said operations will continue until Afghanistan takes verifiable steps against the Pakistani Taliban. The group is also called Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP. Pakistan has blamed the TTP for more attacks since 2021. That was when the Afghan Taliban returned to power, while Kabul denies harbouring militants.

With inputs from PTI