RIYADH, Saudi Arabia: Saudi Arabia and Qatar are engaged in efforts to halt deadly fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan, a source with knowledge of the talks told AFP on Friday (Feb 27).

The diplomatic drive comes as fears of a spiralling conflict grew after Pakistan bombed major cities in Afghanistan, declaring that they were in an "open war" with the Taliban.

The overnight operation was Pakistan's most widespread bombardment of the Afghan capital and its first airstrikes on the southern power base of the Taliban authorities since they returned to power in 2021.

"Saudi Arabia, in coordination with Qatar, is making efforts to reduce tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan," said the source, requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

The goal is to "de-escalate the situation and prevent it from spiralling out of control," they added.

On Friday, the acting Afghan foreign minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi called Qatar's chief negotiator Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, Doha said.

Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, also spoke with his Pakistani counterpart, Ishaq Dar, according to a Saudi statement.

"Riyadh and Doha have been in contact at the highest levels with both sides, and we hope the confrontation will end as soon as possible," the source added.

Pakistan's latest operation came after Afghan forces attacked Pakistani border troops on Thursday night in retaliation for earlier airstrikes by Islamabad.

Relations between the Taliban government and Pakistan have seesawed between cautious engagement and open hostility.

Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of failing to act against militant groups that carry out attacks in Pakistan, which the Taliban government denies.

In October, a truce was brokered by Qatar and Turkey after deadly clashes killed more than 70 people on both sides.

But multiple rounds of negotiations since then in Doha and Istanbul have failed to produce a durable agreement.

Qatar, a key mediator in several conflicts around the world, had invited the Taliban to open a political office in Doha in 2013, with the blessing of then US president Barack Obama. 

Gulf heavyweight Saudi Arabia recently intervened to mediate the release of three Pakistani soldiers captured by Afghanistan.

The kingdom enjoys close military ties with nuclear-armed Pakistan, with whom it signed a mutual defence pact last year.

Both the Afghan and Pakistani militaries said they killed dozens of soldiers in the latest violence.

Relations between the neighbours have plunged in recent months, with land border crossings largely shut since the deadly fighting in October.