Pakistan, Afghanistan troops exchange fire as peace talks kick off

Afghan and Pakistani troops briefly exchanged fire along their shared border on Thursday, both nations said, on the same day talks to find a lasting peace restarted in Istanbul.

Both nations blamed each other for starting the exchange of gunfire near Spin Boldak, an Afghan border town towards the south of their 2,600-km frontier.

There were no reports of casualties, and spokespersons said they remained committed to a ceasefire and continued dialogue in Istanbul.

Both sides signed a ceasefire in Doha on October 19, but a second round of negotiations in Istanbul last week ended without a long-term deal, due to a disagreement over militant groups hostile to Pakistan operating inside Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said Islamabad was pursuing a “one-point agenda” of convincing Afghanistan to rein in militants attacking Pakistani forces across their shared border, allegedly with the Taliban's knowledge.

Sources said the head of Pakistan's military intelligence wing, Asim Malik, was leading the Pakistani delegation. The Afghan delegation is led by intelligence chief Abdul Haq Wasiq, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said.