Pakistan, Afghanistan Agree to Brief Halt in Deadly Clash

Ruins of a drug rehabilitation hospital following an airstrike in Kabul on March 17.Photographer: Sami Jan/Sami Jan/picture-alliance/dpa

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By Bilal Hussain and Khalid Qayum

March 18, 2026 at 6:29 AM UTC

Updated on

March 19, 2026 at 6:13 AM UTC

Pakistan and Afghanistan have decided to temporarily halt their clashes on the Muslim festivity of Eid, after deadly airstrikes in Kabul this week sparked global alarm and calls for a ceasefire.

The pause in fighting on Eid, when Muslims celebrate the end of fasting month of Ramadan, came after requests from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and a spokesman for Afghanistan’s Taliban regime, Zabihullah Mujahid said in separate posts on X. The ceasefire will be from March 19 to 24, said Tarar.