Turkish foreign minister discusses Pakistan-Afghanistan armed conflict with regional counterparts

By Muhammet Tarhan

ISTANBUL (AA)—Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday spoke by phone with his counterparts from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia about the latest armed clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, in which several dozen soldiers and civilians were killed.

On Thursday, Afghanistan launched border attacks against Pakistan "in relation" to its air force airstrikes inside Afghanistan on Sunday, which killed many people. Islamabad claimed to have killed 70 "terrorists," while Afghan officials and the UN reported civilian casualties, which Pakistan denies.

According to Turkish diplomatic sources, Fidan called his Pakistani, Afghan, Qatari, and Saudi counterparts, Ishaq Dar, Amir Khan Muttaqi, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, and Faisal bin Farhan, respectively, to defuse the situation.

The talks focused on the latest clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Relations have deteriorated in recent months as Pakistan accuses militants of operating from Afghan territory, which Kabul denies.

Tensions between the two countries flared up in October of last year when Afghan forces attacked Pakistan border posts, just days after the Pakistan Air Force carried out strikes inside Afghanistan.

Türkiye and Qatar played roles as mediators in defusing tensions and achieving a ceasefire between the two countries.

On October 30, a Turkish Foreign Ministry statement said meetings were held in Istanbul with the attendance of Türkiye, Qatar, Afghanistan, and Pakistan to strengthen a ceasefire agreed on in Doha earlier this month under the mediation of Türkiye and Qatar.