Pakistan Denies Airstrike Allegations as Afghanistan Warns of Retaliation
Pakistan has denied Taliban allegations of carrying out airstrikes inside Afghanistan, while Kabul has condemned the reported attacks and vowed retaliation. Tensions remain high along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
Pakistan rejects Afghanistan’s claim of cross-border airstrikes as Kabul warns of retaliation.
Pakistan has categorically rejected the assertions of the administration of Taliban-led Afghanistan which accused Islamabad of carrying out airstrikes at the border of Afghanistan-Pakistan in the night. The supposed attack took place in the vicinity of the Durand Line and reportedly claimed the lives of 10 people, hence raising the stakes of the already tense relations of the two countries.
Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the spokesperson of the Pakistan Army, while addressing the state broadcaster PTV, rejected the accusations and termed them “unfounded” and also added that, “Pakistan has not carried out any attack on Afghanistan.” He went on to say that Pakistan does not make a distinction between militants, commenting, “In our opinion, there are no good and bad Taliban.”
On the other hand, the Taliban regime issued a forceful statement denouncing Pakistan for what it termed as attacks in the Paktika, Khost, and Kunar provinces. The Afghan officials described the alleged strikes as a breach of national sovereignty and international law, and cautioned that a retaliatory action would be taken “at an appropriate time.”
Afghan spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid accused Pakistan of conducting “hostile actions” and also blamed what he described as “the continuous failures of Pakistan’s military regime.” He claimed that Afghanistan has the right to protect its airspace, soil, and people.
The statement exchange marks yet another flashpoint in the already fragile relationship between Islamabad and Kabul, amid the increasing militancy and the concerns related to border security in the region.
