Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to restart peace talks in Istanbul, sources familiar with the matter said on Thursday, marking a fresh attempt to ease tensions after deadly border clashes derailed earlier negotiations this week.
The discussions will take place under the mediation of Turkey, which requested both sides to return to the table, according to two of the sources. Negotiators from Kabul and Islamabad are already in Istanbul to prevent a renewed escalation along their volatile frontier, where dozens have been killed in recent weeks.
A Pakistani security official told reporters that Islamabad plans to reaffirm its primary demand: that Afghanistan take firm action against militant groups allegedly using its soil to launch attacks on Pakistan. Islamabad has long accused the Taliban government of sheltering members of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a separate but ideologically aligned group waging an insurgency against the Pakistani state.
Kabul has rejected these allegations, insisting that it does not control the TTP and is not responsible for cross-border operations carried out by non-state actors. Both governments have yet to issue official statements about the renewed talks.
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Earlier this month, the two countries experienced their deadliest border clashes since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan in 2021. Pakistani airstrikes targeting suspected TTP leaders in Kabul and other areas triggered retaliatory assaults by Taliban fighters on Pakistani military posts along the 1,600-mile (2,600-kilometer) border.
The violence left dozens dead and prompted a temporary ceasefire brokered in Doha on October 19 by Qatar. However, subsequent talks mediated by Turkey and Qatar in Istanbul collapsed earlier this week, with Islamabad publicly declaring them a failure.
Despite the truce, intermittent skirmishes continued, with multiple fatalities reported on both sides on Sunday and Wednesday. The border remains closed amid heightened military alertness.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have deteriorated sharply since the Taliban’s return to power. Islamabad, once a key supporter of the movement, now faces increasing security challenges from cross-border militancy.
Both sides are expected to use the renewed Istanbul talks to reaffirm the ceasefire and outline concrete steps to prevent further bloodshed.