Talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan in Istanbul to broker a long-term truce have ended without a breakthrough, reports said on Tuesday, dealing a setback to regional peace efforts after deadly border clashes earlier this month. The discussions, mediated by Turkey , aimed to secure lasting stability between the South Asian neighbours following some of the worst cross-border violence since the Taliban seized power in Kabul in 2021. However, negotiators failed to reach consensus, with both sides accusing each other of stalling progress and escalating tensions.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the two countries had earlier agreed to a ceasefire brokered in Doha on 19 October, but the second round of negotiations in Istanbul could not bridge key differences. The Afghan and Pakistani delegations, the sources said, “blamed each other” for the breakdown of talks that were closely watched by regional powers.
A Pakistani security source told reporters that the Taliban had been unwilling to commit to curbing the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), a separate militant group that Islamabad claims operates freely inside Afghanistan. “The Taliban refused to make any binding pledge to control TTP activity,” the source added.
An Afghan source involved in the discussions said the talks collapsed after “tense exchanges” over the issue. The Afghan representatives reportedly argued that Kabul had “no control” over the Pakistani Taliban, which has carried out several attacks against Pakistani forces in recent weeks.
Officials from Afghanistan’s Taliban government, its defence ministry, and Pakistan’s army and foreign ministries have not yet commented publicly on the failed negotiations.
The latest border flare-up began after Pakistani air strikes targeted Kabul and other Afghan areas earlier this month, reportedly aiming for the TTP chief. The Taliban retaliated with assaults on Pakistani military posts along the 2,600-km (1,600-mile) frontier.
The collapse of talks, which has drawn the attention of U.S. President Donald Trump, risks undermining the fragile ceasefire. Pakistan’s defence minister warned on Saturday that if peace efforts in Istanbul fail, it could mean “open war”.
