Taliban Defence Ministry Warns Pakistan Of Consequences After Airstrikes
The Taliban’s Defence Ministry has warned Pakistan of consequences following airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan that it said killed civilians, including women and children.
The Taliban’s Defence Ministry has warned Pakistan of consequences following airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan that it said killed civilians, including women and children.
In a statement issued late Thursday, the ministry condemned the strikes in Nangarhar and Khost provinces as “brutal and cruel,” saying they would only deepen divisions between the people of both countries and fuel animosity. It added that “such irresponsible attacks will have consequences.”
Pakistani forces bombed areas of Nangarhar and Khost on Wednesday night. Local sources said the strikes targeted hideouts of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), but the Taliban insisted civilians were among the victims. In response, the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry summoned Pakistan’s ambassador in Kabul.
It is not the first time Pakistan has launched cross-border strikes. Last year, Islamabad targeted suspected TTP bases in Khost and Paktia. Pakistani officials have previously vowed to track down and punish militants anywhere in the region.
For the past two years, Pakistan has repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban to rein in TTP fighters carrying out attacks across the border. The Taliban, however, deny that the Pakistani Taliban operate from Afghan soil.
Growing TTP violence and unrest in Pakistan’s tribal areas have further strained relations between Islamabad and the Taliban administration.
