Islamabad, Kabul Announce Temporary Eid Al-Fitr Truce

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Taliban government, said in a statement that the suspension of operations came after requests from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar. He thanked the three countries for their mediation efforts.

Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar also confirmed that Islamabad would temporarily stop its attacks against the Taliban authorities in Afghanistan during the Eid period.

The Taliban said the pause also applies to their military campaign known as“Rad al-Zulm” against Pakistan. However, the group stressed that its defensive forces remain fully prepared to respond firmly to any threat or aggression.

The announcement comes after days of heightened hostilities between the two sides, including Pakistani strikes inside Afghanistan and Taliban warnings of retaliation. The conflict has sharply raised tensions along the border.

The latest violence drew widespread condemnation from regional and religious bodies. Reports said victims of a recent Pakistani attack in Kabul included women and children, deepening outrage over the human cost of the confrontation.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar appear to have played a key diplomatic role in preventing further escalation at a sensitive moment before Eid al-Fitr, when calls for restraint often grow stronger across the Muslim world.

While the truce offers a short-term opening for calm, both sides have made clear that their forces remain on alert, underscoring the fragility of the pause and the risk that fighting could resume quickly after Eid.

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