Baghdad: Turkey has announced that its intelligence agency played a key role in brokering a ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with support from the State of Qatar.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Qatari capital Doha hosted direct talks between delegations from Pakistan and Afghanistan, with the participation of Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin, under the directives of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The sources explained that high-ranking officials attended the talks, including the heads of intelligence and defense ministers from both countries. The negotiations lasted late into the night, during which the leaders of the countries, including President Erdogan, were briefed on the progress of the discussions.

Follow-up meetings are scheduled to take place in the coming days to ensure the sustainability and effective implementation of the ceasefire. The first session of the joint technical committee is set to convene in Istanbul to work out the operational details of the agreement. The upcoming discussions will focus on long-term measures to address issues such as terrorism, irregular migration, and border security, aiming to strengthen stability between the two nations.

Istanbul previously hosted a trilateral meeting on October 11, bringing together the intelligence chiefs of Turkey, Pakistan, and Qatar. The meeting also included direct communication with the Afghan side in preparation for the Doha negotiations. The diplomatic breakthrough comes amid heightened tensions earlier this month. On October 9, Pakistan launched airstrikes on Kabul and the Margah area of Paktia Province along the Afghan border, prompting strong condemnation from Afghan authorities.

On October 11, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for attacks on security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, which left 23 people dead, including 20 security personnel and three civilians. Islamabad has accused TTP militants of carrying out operations from inside Afghan territory, an allegation Kabul denies. The two sides announced a 48-hour ceasefire on October 15, which was later extended pending the outcome of the Doha talks.