KABUL/ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan’s Taliban said that in response to the Pakistani airstrikes on its territory that killed 8 people, they , fired heavy weaponry at Pakistani forces along the border.
Pakistani forces carried two airstrikes in the border regions inside Afghanistan against ‘terrorists hideouts’ launching attacks in Pakistan from Afghan soil, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. At least 8 terrorists associated with Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, which along with Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), is responsible for multiple terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, killed in the attack.
However, the Afghan government said that five women and three children were killed in the attack that triggered its retaliation.
The neighboring nations have engaged in a blame game regarding recent Islamist militant attacks in Pakistan. While Pakistan insists these attacks originated from Afghan soil, Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership denies any involvement.
Zabiullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Taliban administration, stated, “The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan does not permit the compromise of security through the use of Afghan territory.” Mujahid reported that the airstrikes occurred in the eastern border provinces of Khost and Paktika.
Pakistan’s foreign office confirmed conducting “intelligence-based anti-terrorist operations” within Afghan border regions, targeting members of the Hafiz Gulf Bahadur militant group in response to an attack on a Pakistani military post in Mir Ali area of North Waziristan on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Taliban defense ministry announced that its security forces targeted Pakistani troops at the border in retaliation for the airstrikes.
The Taliban foreign office summoned Pakistan’s head of mission to denounce the attacks. In a statement, the Pakistani military claimed that a recent surge in terrorism had the backing of Afghanistan, without explicitly mentioning the airstrikes.
The Pakistani government and security officials have repeatedly expressed concerns over increased attacks, many attributed to the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) operating from Afghan territory.
In response to Saturday’s attack on a military post near the Afghan border, which resulted in the deaths of seven Pakistani security personnel, Pakistan reiterated its concerns to the Afghan interim government about the presence of terror groups.
The Afghan Taliban denies providing refuge to militant organizations and criticized Pakistan, asserting that blaming Afghanistan for its internal issues is unjust. Taliban spokesperson Mujahid warned of potential severe consequences beyond Pakistan’s control due to such incidents.
