Afghanistan and Pakistan will hold peace talks in Doha today, an Afghan government spokesman said, in a bid to end their cross-border clashes that have killed dozens of people.

“As promised, negotiations with the Pakistani side will be held today in Doha”said the spokesman for the Taliban government in Afghanistan, Zabihullah Mujahid.

A high-ranking delegation from Afghanistan, led by Taliban Defense Minister Mullah Muhammad Yaqub, left for Doha, he added.

Negotiations in Qatar

After breaking their cease-fire, officials from both countries are heading to Qatar today for negotiations, in the hope of ending the cross-border conflicts which have claimed the lives of dozens of people.

According to announcement of the truce on Wednesday, at 16:00 Greek time, Islamabad stated that it is expected to last 48 hoursbut Afghanistan ruled that it would be in force until violation of it by the opposing side.

Yesterday, Friday, night Kabul accused its neighbor Pakistan that broke the trucefollowing strikes that killed at least 10 civilians in eastern Afghanistan’s Paktika province. Pakistani security forces sources confirmed “precision airstrikes on Afghan soil”.

This morning the two sides announced that send their delegations to Qatar for talks.

Pakistan will be represented by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif and intelligence chief Lt. Gen. Asim Malik, according to state television.

On the Afghan side, as announced by the representative of the Taliban authorities, the Minister of Defense Mohammad Yaqub is on his way.

“We reiterate that Afghanistan believes in a peaceful solution and regional security, but it all happened because of Pakistan’s attack”the Taliban government spokesman added, noting that he considers these actions “provocations and an attempt to prolong the war”.

Kabul “reserves its right to respond,” Zabihullah Mujahid continued, “but out of respect for the negotiating team,” Afghan forces must “refrain from any new action.”

Resurgence of attacks

The ceasefire lasted for two days, bringing calm back to the border areas and Kabulfollowing an unusually intense outburst of violence. The clashes claimed the lives of dozens of people, fighters as well as civilians, especially on Wednesday.

This military escalation comes in the context of recurring bilateral tensions, which are fueled by security concerns. Islamabad, faced with a resurgence of attacks on its security forces, has repeatedly accused neighboring Afghanistan of “providing sanctuary” to “terrorist” organizations, which Kabul denies.

On Thursday, the Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ruled that the ball is in their side authorities in Kabul for a sustainable ceasefirecomplaining once again that “terrorists operate from the Afghan side of the border with impunity.”

“Pakistan expects concrete and verifiable actions from the Taliban regime against these terrorist elements”underlined Shafqat Ali Khan, the spokesman of the Pakistani Ministry of Foreign Affairs at a press conference, assuring referring to the ceasefire that “is trying to work through the diplomatic channel to make it sustainable.”

Clashes erupted last week after explosions in the Afghan capital blamed on neighboring Pakistan by Taliban authorities. In retaliation, they launched border operations last Saturday, in which Islamabad pledged to give a “strong” answer.

The UN aid mission in Afghanistan said Thursday it had counted 37 civilians killed and 425 wounded on the Afghan side of the border in a few days.