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afghanistan And Pakistan heading towards turkey Dozens of people have been killed and hundreds injured in recent fighting between them, officials said Friday, for a second round of crisis talks.
The neighbors are embroiled in a bitter security dispute that has turned increasingly violent, with each side saying they are responding to the other’s aggression.
Pakistan has accused Afghanistan of turning a blind eye to armed groups crossing the border to carry out attacks, but the country’s Taliban rulers reject the charge.
Last weekend, Qatar and Turkey brokered a ceasefire to end hostilities. The ceasefire largely holds, although borders with other countries remain closed except to Afghan refugees leaving Pakistan.
Afghanistan’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry said traders were losing millions of dollars a day as border transit and trade came to a halt.
Southern Kandahar province was hardest hit by the recent fighting, especially Spin Boldak on the border, where Pakistani air strikes killed people and destroyed homes.
On Friday, the chief spokesperson of the Taliban government Zabihullah MujahidSaid Deputy Interior Minister Haji Najib was leading the delegation istanbul,
“Remaining issues will be discussed in this meeting,” Mujahid said, without giving any further details.
In Pakistan, a Foreign Ministry spokesman elaborated on the prospects over the weekend.
“There has been no major full-scale terrorist attack from Afghan soil in the last two to three days,” Tahir Andrabi told reporters at a routine briefing. “So, the Doha talks and the outcome were fruitful. We would like this trend to continue in Istanbul and after Istanbul.”
Pakistan is struggling to deal with terrorism, especially in the areas bordering Afghanistan.
Andrabi said there is a clear message to Kabul to stop the attacks, control and contain armed groups, and “our relations can get back on track.”
“We’re not asking for the moon,” Andrabi said. He did not say who was in the Pakistani delegation.