Pakistan and Afghanistan's Taliban government have resumed negotiations in China, with Beijing mediating efforts to establish a lasting ceasefire after more than a month of cross-border fighting, according to Pakistani officials.

Representatives from both countries are meeting in Urumqi, in northern China, two Pakistani officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday. The talks aim to end current hostilities between the neighboring nations, according to a third source familiar with China's mediation efforts. All sources spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

Tensions escalated significantly last month when Afghanistan reported that a Pakistani airstrike hit a drug treatment facility in Kabul, killing more than 400 people according to Afghan officials. Pakistan denied targeting civilians, with Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stating that Pakistan had "only targeted terrorist infrastructure" and struck an ammunition depot, not a hospital. The U.N. humanitarian affairs office said the death toll remains under verification.

The conflict centers on Pakistan's accusations that Afghanistan provides safe haven for militants, particularly the Pakistani Taliban, who conduct attacks inside Pakistan. The Pakistani Taliban, while separate from Afghanistan's ruling Taliban, maintains close ties with the group that took control of Afghanistan following the 2021 U.S. military withdrawal. Kabul denies harboring Pakistani militants.

Fighting between the two sides has occurred intermittently in recent years, with Pakistan's air force repeatedly targeting Pakistani Taliban positions and Afghan military sites in February and March. A temporary ceasefire during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr briefly halted hostilities, but fighting later resumed at reduced intensity. In February, Pakistan declared it was in "open war" with Afghanistan.

Previous diplomatic efforts have yielded mixed results. A Qatari-mediated ceasefire reached in October had halted earlier clashes that killed dozens of civilians, security personnel and militants before being undermined by the latest fighting. Peace talks held in Istanbul in November also failed to produce a lasting agreement. The current talks represent a renewed effort to address the persistent tensions that have alarmed the international community, particularly given the continued presence of militant groups including al-Qaida and the Islamic State in the region.