Pakistan and Afghanistan‘s Taliban government have reached an agreement to implement an “immediate ceasefire” on Sunday, October 19, following more than a week of intense fighting along their shared border. The agreement, brokered by Qatar and Turkey, includes provisions for establishing mechanisms to ensure long-term peace and stability between the two sides.

The ceasefire follows a surge in violence, with both parties reporting significant casualties, marking the worst conflict between the two since the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in 2021. Clashes had intensified along the 1,600-mile (2,574 km) mountainous border after the Taliban accused Pakistan of carrying out attacks on Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital. The violence escalated further when Afghan troops fired on Pakistani border posts, prompting a retaliatory response from Pakistan involving mortar fire and drone strikes.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan reported at least 17 Afghan civilian deaths and hundreds of injuries due to the fighting. Although a temporary truce was declared on Wednesday evening, cross-border strikes continued into Friday. The Taliban accused Pakistan of conducting an airstrike that killed eight, including three local cricket players.

The ceasefire agreement includes provisions to prevent future attacks. Under the deal, the Taliban has pledged not to support groups carrying out attacks against Pakistan’s government. Both sides have also committed to refraining from targeting each other’s security forces, civilians, or critical infrastructure.

Pakistan’s Defense Minister, Khawaja Asif, described the agreement as a positive step, stating that it would put an end to “terrorism from Afghanistan on Pakistan’s soil.” He added that further talks between the two sides are scheduled for next week in Istanbul.

The conflict had been fueled by longstanding tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban, particularly over Pakistan’s accusations that the group harbors militants from the Pakistani Taliban, who have been launching attacks on Pakistani forces. According to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, the Pakistani Taliban has carried out at least 600 attacks on Pakistani forces in the past year.

The Taliban’s spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, emphasized the importance of ending hostilities, while Pakistan’s foreign minister described the agreement as “the first step in the right direction.”

The agreement marks a significant development in the tense relationship between Pakistan and the Taliban, both of whom have historical ties dating back to Pakistan’s support for the group following the U.S.-led invasion in 2001. However, the relationship has soured in recent years, with Pakistan accusing the Taliban of offering a safe haven to militant groups targeting Pakistan.