Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban government on Wednesday announced a temporary suspension of military strikes, describing the ceasefire as a gesture to mark the end of Ramadan.
Both sides said the halt for Eid al-Fitr had been requested by “brotherly Islamic countries,” including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey. The pause is set to run from midnight Wednesday to midnight Monday, Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said.
“Pakistan offers this gesture in good faith and in keeping with Islamic norms,” Tarar wrote on X, while warning that “any cross-border attack, drone attack or any terrorist incident inside Pakistan” would trigger an immediate resumption of operations “with renewed intensity.”
Islamabad declared the pause first. Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid issued a similar statement and warned that “in the event of any threat,” Taliban forces would respond “decisively.”
The announcement followed Afghan officials’ claims that a Pakistani airstrike struck the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital in Kabul on Monday, killing hundreds. Pakistan denied targeting the hospital, saying its strikes in Kabul and eastern Afghanistan were aimed at military sites and dismissing reports of mass civilian casualties as propaganda.
Clashes have escalated since late February, with repeated cross-border fire and airstrikes striking deep into Afghan territory, including the capital, as Pakistan declared itself in “open war” with Afghanistan. The fighting has alarmed the international community, particularly along the border, where al-Qaeda, the “Islamic State” and other militant groups remain active and are seeking to regroup.
Edited by: Sean Sinico