Turkish FM holds regional talks on Pakistan–Afghanistan escalation

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has held a series of telephone conversations with senior officials from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to discuss recent developments in relations between Islamabad and Kabul.

According to diplomatic sources, Fidan spoke separately with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Muhammad Ishaq Dar and Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, who represents the country’s interim Taliban administration, Caliber.Az reports per Turkish media.

He also held talks with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.

The discussions focused on the latest developments in relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Heavy fighting erupted along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border on February 26, with Afghan officials claiming significant Pakistani military losses following retaliatory operations in several eastern provinces.

Later reports indicated that Afghan forces destroyed at least 15 Pakistani border posts during the operation. 

The escalation follows Pakistani airstrikes carried out on February 22. Islamabad stated that its military targeted positions of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Afghanistan-based branch of the so-called Islamic State, Islamic State – Khorasan Province, in response to recent militant attacks inside Pakistan, including a bombing at a mosque in Islamabad.

By Sabina Mammadli