In the Pakistani town of Torkham, a normally busy crossing point into the Afghan province of Nangarhar, drivers were stranded and waited in colourful trucks

In the Pakistani town of Torkham, a normally busy crossing point into the Afghan province of Nangarhar, drivers were stranded and waited in colourful trucks

 Basit GILANI

Afghan and Pakistani negotiators are to meet in Istanbul Saturday to address security issues and establish a lasting ceasefire along their shared border after an outbreak of unexpectedly intense bloody clashes. 

The confrontation -- which resulted in dozens of deaths, among them civilians -- began two weeks ago following explosions in central Kabul, which the Taliban government blamed on its Pakistani neighbour, launching a retaliatory offensive at the border. 

Originally published on doc.afp.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.