At Least 5 Soldiers, 25 Militants Killed in Pakistan-Afghanistan Border Clashes Amid Istanbul Talks

News Snapshot:

Pakistan reported at least five soldiers killed and 25 militants neutralized in renewed border clashes with Afghanistan on Friday and Saturday, even as delegations from both sides convened in Istanbul for peace talks aimed at de-escalating tensions. The Pakistani military stated that militants attempted incursions from Afghanistan into Kurram and North Waziristan districts, prompting counterstrikes that destroyed several border posts. The flare-up marks a setback to the fragile ceasefire agreed upon in Doha on October 19, following a week of intense fighting—the worst since the Taliban's 2021 takeover—that saw mutual accusations of aggression. Earlier clashes from October 12-15 resulted in...