In the aftermath of Pakistan’s air strikes on Paktika and Khost, Vedant Patel, a US State Department spokesperson, urged Islamabad and the Taliban to reconcile and resolve their differences.
Patel stressed on the importance of preventing Afghanistan from becoming a sanctuary for terrorists intent on harming the United States and its allies. Highlighting this during a Monday press conference, Patel insisted on the Taliban’s responsibility to prevent terrorist activities from emanating from Afghan territory.
He called on Pakistan to exercise restraint and ensure that civilian casualties are avoided in its counter-terrorism efforts. Additionally, Patel disclosed ongoing discussions between the US and Pakistani leaders regarding Afghanistan and terrorism.
The Deputy Spokesperson for the US State Department labeled Pakistan as a significant ally of the United States, affirming consistent dialogue with Islamabad on counter-terrorism and security matters.
Matthew Miller, another spokesperson for the US State Department, communicated to Afghanistan International, Washington’s support for Pakistan’s battle against terrorist factions.
Sources early Monday reported to Afghanistan International that the Pakistani Air Force targeted the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan in the provinces of Khost and Paktika. In response, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry implicated the Afghan Taliban in leveraging the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan for their ends, characterising the air strikes in Afghanistan as anti-terrorist actions. Following these strikes, the Taliban’s Foreign Ministry summoned Pakistan’s Ambassador to Kabul in protest. Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s spokesperson, said that the strikes resulted in the deaths of three women and three children in Paktika and three family members in Khost. These incidents followed the Pakistan army’s confirmation that several of its security personnel were killed in North Waziristan due to suicide attacks and a confrontation with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
The Article originally appeared in https://www.afintl.com March 18, 2024 Original Link
