Ankara: Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed on Wednesday to a 48-hour ceasefire following recent clashes along their shared border, according to official statements from both sides. The agreement was reached to ease tensions and prevent further escalation after deadly confrontations over the past few days.

According to Anadolu Agency, a statement from Pakistan's Foreign Ministry announced that the ceasefire took effect at 6 pm (1300GMT). The statement emphasized both countries' commitment to resolving the "complicated but solvable" issue through constructive negotiations.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for Afghanistan's interim administration, confirmed that Kabul had also agreed to the ceasefire with Islamabad. Mujahid stated that Afghan forces have been instructed to respect the ceasefire, unless faced with aggression.

This agreement marks the second ceasefire since the weekend, following clashes on Saturday night that were halted through mediation efforts by Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Prior to the ceasefire announcement, Pakistani security sources reported conducting "precision strikes" inside Afghanistan, targeting Taliban and Tehreek-e-Taliban militant hideouts in Kandahar province and Kabul.

The ceasefire follows renewed border clashes that began on Tuesday night. Earlier today, Afghan authorities reported that 12 Afghan nationals had died in the recent skirmishes with Pakistani forces. The recent violence is part of a broader pattern of hostilities that have escalated since 2021, when the Afghan Taliban took power in Kabul.

The tensions were further fueled last week when Kabul accused Islamabad of violating an existing Afghan ceasefire, leading to one of the deadliest confrontations between the two nations in recent years.