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Pakistan and Afghan Taliban Resume Istanbul Talks to Lock In Ceasefire Monitoring

Talks center on a verifiable mechanism to curb cross-border attacks with enforceable penalties for violations.

Overview

  • Delegations led by Pakistan’s intelligence chief Lt. Gen. Asim Malik and Afghan intelligence head Abdul Haq Wasiq reconvened in Istanbul under Turkish and Qatari mediation.
  • The Doha truce stays in place as negotiators work to finalize a monitoring and verification system, including penalties for any breach, according to Turkey’s foreign ministry.
  • Pakistan’s defense minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif warned that failure of the talks could lead to war, reiterating the demand that Afghan territory not be used by the TTP.
  • Major border crossings have remained shut to trade and general travel since Oct. 12, with limited reopenings to allow Afghan refugees to return, the Associated Press reported.
  • An Afghan military official told AFP that Pakistani forces fired projectiles into Afghanistan on Nov. 6 during the talks, a claim reported by News18 that had not been corroborated by other outlets.