Daily Times

Afghan Taliban once again restored to unprovoked aggression on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and Pakistani forces, in a befitting response, killed eight Afghan Taliban, Radio Pakistan reported on Sunday.

According to sources, Afghan Taliban opened unprovoked firing with heavy weapons yesterday from inside Afghanistan, targeting Pakistani check posts.

The Pakistan security forces responded effectively and killed eight Afghan Taliban, including key commanders Khalil and Jan Muhammad. Sixteen Afghan Taliban were also injured in the firing.

Relations between Islamabad and the Taliban regime in Afghanistan have been strained recently over the use of Afghan soil by terrorist group like TTP as launch pad for its terror campaign in Pakistan.

Pakistan has repeatedly asked Afghanistan’s rulers to stop their support of these terrorist groups and recently revealed evidence of the link between between the two.

Majority of the recent high impact attacks originated from Afghanistan involving Afghan nationals and modern weapons left by US forces during their chaotic withdrawal in 2021. The incumbent government also blames PTI government’s 2022 change in policies for the surge of violence and terrorism in the country recently pointing out that 102 hardened criminals were freed from jails who were involved in killing school children and disgracing Pakistani flag in Malakand.

Last week, the Foreign Office had said that the hideouts of terrorist groups in Afghanistan are not Pakistan’s concern alone since the United Nations has highlighted the activities of such outfits in the neighbouring country, the Foreign Office spokesperson said on Thursday.

While answering a question during her weekly press briefing, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan has repeatedly presented evidence of activities carried out by terror outfits based in Afghanistan.

This is not Pakistan’s concern alone, she said, adding that UN reports have highlighted the activities of such groups as well. In a media briefing last week, ISPR Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry stated since the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan, facilitation of TTP from across the border had increased. He said that this issue of cross-border facilitation of terrorists was being addressed.