China Calls for Dialogue to End Hostilities Between Pakistan, Afghanistan

(MENAFN) China on Monday urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to return to negotiations to end escalating border hostilities that have claimed dozens of lives over the past two weeks.

Speaking at a news conference in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian called on both Kabul and Islamabad to exercise restraint and expressed hope that a ceasefire could be reached.

“Afghanistan and Pakistan are neighbors and cannot be separated from each other. We hope that they will return to the negotiating table, remain calm and exercise restraint,” Lin said.

He noted that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has communicated with his counterparts in Pakistan and Afghanistan, pressing both nations to prevent further escalation. Lin emphasized that Beijing is ready to continue making “active efforts” to support peace between the two countries.

"China hopes both sides will remain calm and exercise restraint, hold face-to-face talks as soon as possible, and achieve a ceasefire at an early date," he added.

Meanwhile, reports indicate that Afghanistan claimed two additional civilians were killed and several others injured in overnight shelling by Pakistani forces. Mustaghfar Gurbaz, spokesman for the Khost provincial governor, said that Pakistani military mortars hit Nari village in Gurbaz district of eastern Khost Province around midnight, killing a woman and a child, according to local reports.

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