Pakistan to pause Afghan strikes for Eid, two days after deadly Kabul attack

March 18, 2026

TL;DR

Pakistan announced a five-day pause in strikes against Afghanistan from Wednesday midnight to Monday midnight.
The pause is to mark the end of Ramadan and was requested by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey.
This comes after a deadly Pakistani airstrike on a drug rehabilitation center in Kabul, which killed over 400 people.
Pakistan denies deliberately targeting the rehabilitation center, claiming it targeted military installations and terrorist support infrastructure.
Pakistan warns that military operations will resume immediately with renewed intensity if any cross-border attacks occur.
Afghanistan's Taliban government also announced a temporary suspension of its military operations against Pakistan.
A mass funeral was held for some of the hundreds of victims of the Kabul attack.
Relatives are struggling to find information about missing loved ones at the destroyed Omid hospital.
Afghan interior minister Sirajuddin Haqqani vowed revenge for the attack, calling the victims innocent, but also stated Afghanistan seeks diplomatic solutions.
The conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan began after Islamabad accused Kabul of sheltering militants, a charge denied by the Taliban.
International groups have called for de-escalation, noting the high number of displaced civilians and economic disruptions due to the conflict.

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