Eid Brings a Brief Calm as Pakistan and Afghanistan Agree to Ceasefire
Taliban soldiers sit next to an anti-aircraft gun while on lookout for Pakistan's fighter jets, in Khost province, Afghanistan. In a rare moment of de‑escalation, Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to temporarily halt hostilities ahead of Eid al‑Fitr, offering a brief respite after weeks of intensifying cross‑border tensions. The ceasefire—requested by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey—comes after a series of deadly incidents, including a controversial Pakistani airstrike on a Kabul drug rehabilitation hospital that Afghan officials say killed hundreds. The pause is set to last through the Eid holiday, beginning at midnight on Wednesday and continuing until Monday. Officials in Islamabad described the move as a “gesture of good faith,” expressing hope that the truce will allow civilians on both sides to observe the holiday in peace. Kabul, meanwhile, held mass funerals for victims of the recent strike as it announced its own halt to fighting. While the ceasefire of...
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