Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it has sent a mid-level delegation to China for formal talks with Pakistan, as both sides meet in Urumqi amid efforts by Beijing to ease tensions between the neighbours.
In a statement, the Afghan ministry said the delegation had arrived in China “at the initiative of the People’s Republic of China” and would hold official talks with the Pakistani side “in accordance with its principled position.” It added that the process was being carried forward at China’s request and on the basis of “mutual respect and constructive engagement.”
The ministry said Kabul would participate from a “balanced and principled position” and planned “comprehensive and responsible talks” on good neighbourly relations, stronger trade ties, and “the effective management of security issues.” It added that diplomatic engagement based on “mutual respect, non-interference and constructive understanding” could help deliver “practical and lasting solutions.”
Pakistan also confirmed the talks. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said, “Talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban were held in China,” adding that Islamabad had sent a delegation to Urumqi to discuss “the issue of terrorism originating from within Afghanistan.” He said the talks were continuing and that Pakistan wanted “concrete steps against terrorists.”
The meeting follows weeks of worsening friction and cross-border violence, which experts describe as the most serious tensions between the two sides since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. The agenda is reported to include security, a possible ceasefire, and measures to reopen or stabilise trade and travel links.
China has said it is working to help both sides resolve their differences through dialogue. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing had “been working actively to mediate the conflict” and would continue to play a “constructive role” in improving relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
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The U.S. military is redirecting at least three Iranian-flagged tankers after intercepting them in Asian waters near India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, shipping and security sources said on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Tehran said U.S. breaches, blockades and threats are undermining “genuine negotiations.”
United Nations experts have urged the Indian authorities to release Jagtar Singh Johal, who was arrested in Punjab in late 2017 and has remained in prison since. Allegations have been made that he was tortured and threatened with death in custody.
Central Asian leaders have warned that worsening water shortages now pose a direct threat to regional stability, urging coordinated action and stronger international engagement.
European logistics companies are set to report stronger first-quarter profits, benefiting from supply chain disruption linked to the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, though analysts warn the conflict could weaken demand later this year.
Pakistan is confident it can bring Iran to talks with the United States, a senior official said, citing “positive signals” from Tehran, as JD Vance is reportedly set to visit Islamabad on Tuesday for peace talks, according to Axios.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards targeted three vessels, seizing two of them for alleged maritime violations and transferring them to Iranian shores, as U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington is extending its ceasefire with Iran until Tehran submits a proposal.
A gunman who killed seven people in a mass shooting in Kyiv on Saturday (18 April) had quarrelled with his neighbour before he opened fire on passersby, public broadcaster Suspilne cited Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko as saying on Tuesday.
Two local trains collided head-on north of Copenhagen on Thursday (23 April), injuring 17 people, five of them critically, according to emergency services.
The U.S. military has intercepted at least three Iranian-flagged tankers in Asian waters and is redirecting them away from their positions near India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, shipping and security sources said on Wednesday, exclusively to Reuters.
United Nations experts have urged the Indian authorities to release Jagtar Singh Johal, who was arrested in Punjab in late 2017 and has remained in prison since. Allegations have been made that he was tortured and threatened with death in custody.
Central Asian leaders have warned that worsening water shortages now pose a direct threat to regional stability, urging coordinated action and stronger international engagement.
The European Union says its envoy Gilles Bertrand raised concerns over women’s rights, regional security and cross-border tensions during a visit to Kabul, while Afghan officials urged more development aid, trade access and continued dialogue.
Russia has confirmed the suspension of Kazakh oil shipments to Germany via the Druzhba pipeline, citing technical reasons, in a move that could disrupt refinery supplies in eastern Germany.
Georgia has assumed the rotating chairmanship of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation (FSC), formally taking over on 22 April in Vienna and placing it at the centre of key security discussions at a time of rising geopolitical tension and declining trust between states.
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