Translated with AI
Afghanistan and Pakistan announced a temporary ceasefire ahead of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr. The ceasefire was agreed upon at the request of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.
According to a statement by Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, published on the social media site X, Afghanistan has temporarily suspended military operations against Pakistan at the request of the aforementioned countries.
Earlier, Pakistan also announced a temporary suspension of hostilities. Pakistani Minister of Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar announced this on the social media platform X. He stated that the decision was made at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey. The suspension will last from the night of March 19 until midnight on March 24.
The temporary ceasefire is connected to the upcoming Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr, which this year is celebrated on the night of March 19-20. Eid al-Fitr is one of the two major Muslim holidays, marking the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
Afghanistan launched a military operation against Pakistan in late February 2026. The operation was launched in response to crimes and rebellions committed by Pakistani military circles.
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan flared again in early 2026. Islamabad launched airstrikes on the Islamic Emirate, hitting Pakistani Taliban hideouts. Kabul claimed the strikes hit a religious school and residential buildings, killing and wounding dozens of people, including women and children.
Afghanistan and Pakistan have been engaged in a border dispute since 1947, when Pakistan gained independence following the partition of British India. The border between the two countries runs along the 2,600-kilometer Durand Line, established by an 1893 agreement between Afghan Emir Abdur Rahman Khan and British Indian envoy Sir Mortimer Durand. Islamabad has no objections to the Durand Line, but Kabul considers it a colonial border that deprived Afghanistan of part of its historical Pashtun territories. No Afghan government has recognized this border.
