Afghanistan Hails 'Useful' China-Hosted Peace Talks with Pakistan

Afghanistan has deemed the peace talks with Pakistan, facilitated by China, as 'useful' in addressing the ongoing conflict between the two nations.

The talks, which began on April 1 in the western Chinese city of Urumqi, aim to stop the violence that started in February, resulting in hundreds of deaths and significant concern for Beijing due to its proximity to western Chinese regions.

The conflict escalated after Pakistan conducted air strikes inside Afghanistan, including in the capital Kabul, leading to accusations from Afghanistan of civilian casualties, including children.

The situation has drawn international alarm, particularly given the presence of other armed groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS in the region.

94,000 people have been displaced overall, with 100,000 individuals in two Afghan districts near the border completely cut off due to the fighting since February.

Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry has expressed gratitude to China for hosting the talks and acknowledged the mediation efforts of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.

Despite the talks, Afghanistan has continued to accuse Pakistan of shelling across its border, killing and wounding civilians, while Pakistan denies these allegations and instead accuses Afghanistan of providing a safe haven to armed groups like the Pakistan Taliban (TTP).