Afghanistan has announced a temporary pause in fighting against Pakistan ahead of the Muslim festival of Eid al-Fitr, following a similar provisional halt in strikes declared earlier by Pakistan. Afghan government spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid confirmed the decision in a statement on Wednesday. Both sides said the pause in hostilities was requested by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar.
The announcements come two days after Afghanistan accused Pakistan of carrying out an airstrike that it said struck a drug treatment hospital in Kabul, resulting in hundreds of casualties.
Afghanistan-Pakistan conflict
The conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan has seen repeated cross-border clashes and airstrikes inside Afghan territory, including several in the capital, since it began in late February, despite international calls for a ceasefire.
Pakistan has accused Afghanistan of providing safe haven to militants responsible for attacks on its soil, particularly the Pakistani Taliban. The group is separate but closely aligned with the Afghan Taliban, who took control of Afghanistan in 2021 following the withdrawal of US led forces. Kabul has denied these allegations.
On Wednesday, light rain fell as ambulances lined up outside a cemetery in Kabul, unloading plain wooden coffins. The mass funeral was held for victims from Kabul province whose bodies had already been identified, while those from other regions were to be transported to their home provinces for burial, authorities said.
The 2,000-bed Omid hospital was struck at around 9 pm on Monday. The facility had been renamed and expanded about a year ago from an existing treatment centre as part of the Taliban governmentโs efforts to tackle the countryโs serious drug addiction crisis.
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