KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Tribal elders from Afghanistan’s Kunar province and Pakistan’s Bajaur district have called for an immediate ceasefire between Taliban and Pakistani forces, citing rising civilian casualties and widespread displacement amid ongoing cross-border strikes.
According to local sources in Kunar, the elders met on Monday afternoon in the Nawa Pass area and, in a joint statement, urged both sides to stop firing at each other and at civilian areas, and to allow displaced families to return home.
Sources said elders from Kunar attended the meeting with permission from Taliban authorities.
Neither Taliban nor Pakistani officials have publicly commented on the gathering.
The meeting is the latest in a series of informal engagements between tribal leaders from both sides of the border in recent weeks aimed at reducing tensions and pushing for a ceasefire. Despite these efforts, fighting has continued along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, particularly in Kunar and surrounding provinces.
In the latest reported violence, Pakistani strikes targeted Dangam district in Kunar on Sunday night, killing at least three people and wounding 14 others, according to Taliban officials.
The latest clashes, which began in late February, have killed or wounded hundreds in Afghanistan, including civilians, and displaced tens of thousands of families in border provinces such as Kunar, Nuristan, Nangarhar, Khost, and Paktika. Schools and health facilities have been damaged, and border crossings remain closed, except for the ongoing deportation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan.
Pakistan accuses the Taliban of sheltering militants from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other groups responsible for attacks inside its territory, and has called for verifiable action against them, including guarantees to restrain or relocate fighters.
The Taliban denies the allegations, saying Pakistan’s security issues are internal and rejecting claims that such groups operate from Afghan soil.
Multiple mediation attempts have failed to de-escalate the conflict. Talks hosted by China and other regional countries, along with appeals from the United Nations and international rights organizations, have yielded little progress. A short-lived ceasefire observed during Eid al-Fitr collapsed, with fighting quickly resuming along the frontier.
The latest tribal initiative reflects efforts locally known as jirgas to reduce violence and address humanitarian concerns in border areas. Similar elder-led efforts in the past have at times helped reopen crossing points and ease local tensions, though their impact on broader political and military decisions remains limited.
