Taliban Defence Chief Rushes to Doha Amid Pakistan Airstrikes
In a fast-moving development, Taliban Defence Minister Maulvi Muhammad Yaqub Mujahid arrived in Doha on Saturday to hold urgent talks aimed at halting Pakistan’s escalating airstrikes in Afghanistan, which have reportedly killed around 200 Afghan civilians in the past week.
The visit marks one of the most crucial diplomatic efforts since tensions flared between Afghanistan and Pakistan over cross-border militant activity and retaliatory military operations.
Pakistan’s Air Campaign Sparks Regional Crisis
Pakistan’s airstrikes on Afghan territory have triggered a massive humanitarian and political crisis. According to local reports, the strikes targeted border villages in Khost, Paktika, and Kunar provinces, areas where Pakistan alleges Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants are hiding.
However, the Taliban government has strongly condemned the strikes, calling them an act of aggression that violates Afghanistan’s sovereignty. The regime claims that many of those killed were innocent civilians, including women and children.
Afghan officials say the death toll has reached nearly 200 people, with dozens injured and hundreds displaced. “Pakistan must immediately stop bombing Afghan soil,” said a Taliban spokesperson in Kabul. “Such actions will have serious consequences for regional peace.”
In response, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has maintained that its military operations are targeted counter-terror actions, not strikes against Afghan citizens. Islamabad accuses the Taliban of failing to control TTP militants who allegedly use Afghan territory to launch attacks on Pakistani security forces.
Taliban Delegation Heads to Doha for Emergency Talks
The Taliban Defence Chief, Maulvi Yaqub Mujahid — who is also the son of the group’s late founder Mullah Mohammad Omar — is leading the Afghan delegation in Doha. The talks are being facilitated by Qatari and UN officials, with the aim of easing border tensions and preventing further escalation.
Sources close to the Taliban leadership revealed that the Doha meeting will address Pakistan’s recent military actions, intelligence-sharing mechanisms, and the growing influence of the TTP in eastern Afghanistan.
Mujahid’s visit to Doha underscores the Taliban’s desire to seek international mediation as tensions threaten to spiral out of control. “Afghanistan does not want war with any neighbor,” a Taliban statement read. “We are committed to resolving disputes through dialogue, not violence.”
However, diplomatic observers warn that relations between Islamabad and Kabul have hit their lowest point since the Taliban took power in 2021. Analysts say both countries have long blamed each other for harboring militants and destabilizing the border regions.
Doha as the Diplomatic Nerve Center
Doha has once again become a central hub for Afghan diplomacy, hosting backchannel discussions between Taliban representatives and various global stakeholders. Since the U.S. withdrawal in 2021, Qatar has played a crucial role in mediating Afghan affairs, including humanitarian aid, counterterrorism, and refugee coordination.
This time, however, the focus is firmly on de-escalating hostilities between two nuclear-armed neighbors. Officials familiar with the talks said Qatari diplomats and UN special envoys are facilitating dialogue between Kabul and Islamabad to prevent a wider regional conflict.
Observers believe that a breakdown in talks could worsen Afghanistan’s already fragile situation, where thousands of civilians are struggling with poverty, displacement, and hunger. “A new cross-border conflict could deepen the humanitarian disaster,” warned a senior analyst from the International Crisis Group.
TTP at the Heart of the Dispute
At the core of this crisis lies the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a banned militant group that Islamabad blames for hundreds of deadly attacks inside Pakistan. The Pakistani government insists that TTP militants operate from safe havens within Afghanistan, a claim the Taliban denies.
The Taliban’s Defence Chief reportedly told mediators that Afghanistan “has no control over independent militant factions” operating near the border. He also urged Pakistan to stop collective punishment of Afghan civilians in its counterterrorism campaigns.
Intelligence officials say that despite past peace deals, the TTP’s resurgence has strained bilateral ties. In recent months, Pakistan has faced a surge in militant attacks targeting army convoys, police stations, and border posts — many claimed by TTP factions.
Regional and Global Reactions
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) expressed concern over the civilian casualties and urged restraint on both sides. “We call for immediate cessation of violence and protection of civilians,” the mission said in a statement.
Meanwhile, diplomatic sources indicate that China and Iran, both key regional players, have privately urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to resolve the dispute through dialogue rather than force.
Uncertain Road Ahead
As the Doha talks begin, the outcome remains uncertain. Experts say that unless both sides commit to concrete confidence-building measures, tensions could escalate into prolonged cross-border conflict.
For the Taliban, the crisis poses a serious test of governance and diplomacy. For Pakistan, it represents a growing challenge in managing security along one of the world’s most volatile borders.
With regional stability hanging in the balance, the world watches closely to see whether Doha diplomacy can prevent another devastating chapter in Afghanistan’s long history of conflict.