Overview
- Delegations led by Pakistan’s Lt. Gen. Asim Malik and Afghanistan’s intelligence chief Abdul Haq Wasiq reconvened on November 6 in Istanbul.
- Turkey and Qatar are facilitating efforts to convert the October 19 ceasefire into a verifiable truce with a monitoring and penalty mechanism.
- A brief exchange at Spin Boldak/Chaman was reported during the talks, with both sides blaming each other; an Afghan hospital official told AFP five people were killed and six wounded.
- Pakistan’s information ministry said Afghan forces initiated the firing and that its response was measured, while Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Pakistan opened fire and Afghan forces held back.
- Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif warned that failure of the negotiations could lead to war, as major border crossings remain largely closed despite the truce.