ISLAMABAD:
After two days of intermittent exchange of fire, the guns fell silent on the border on Sunday after Pakistan and Afghanistan activated diplomatic channels to reduce tensions, according to sources familiar with the developments.
They said hostilities may have ceased at the border for now, but the situation remains very delicate. No incident of exchange of fire took place on Sunday after relevant authorities from both sides were in touch and agreed not to escalate the situation further, sources said.
On Thursday and Friday, intense exchanges of fire took place between Pakistani forces and Taliban troops at different locations along the border. Pakistan did not issue any statement on the tensions, but the Afghan side claimed that it had attacked targets across the border to avenge reported airstrikes in Paktika province on the night of December 24.
However, sources here dismissed the Afghan claims. “On the night of December 27-28, a group of 20 to 25 Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters attempted to infiltrate Pakistan from two locations in Kurram and North Waziristan, using Afghan Taliban border posts. “, they said, adding that Pakistani security forces acted promptly and foiled the infiltration attempt.
In the early hours of December 28, the source continued, insurgents once again used Afghan Taliban outposts to try to infiltrate Pakistan. Following failed infiltration attempts, insurgents and the Afghan Taliban jointly unleashed unprovoked heavy weapons fire on Pakistani posts early on Saturday. Pakistani security forces responded with a strong and effective response.
The Afghan side reportedly suffered heavy losses. “Effective retaliation forced the Afghan Taliban to abandon six posts and withdraw,” the sources said. Pakistani security forces suffered no fatalities and only three personnel were injured.
Pakistan has repeatedly urged the interim Afghan government not to allow the Khawarij faction to use Afghan territory against Pakistan. Sources said that instead of curbing the TTP or taking action against terrorist elements, the Afghan Taliban continues to support them.
“The TTP operates freely in Afghanistan, extensively using Afghan territory for terrorist activities against Pakistan,” the sources said. They added that Pakistan’s security forces possessed the capacity to give a decisive response to any form of aggression.
Meanwhile, considerable progress was made during Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq’s visit to Kabul and certain decisions were taken to move the process forward. Sources familiar with the development said that during the visit both sides agreed to start high-level exchanges and that some ministerial visits were planned starting next month.
However, following the recent rise in tensions, high-level exchanges scheduled to begin in January have been put on hold. However, sources were confident that the process would get back on track, as there was a lot at stake for both parties.
According to sources, during Ambassador Sadiq’s visit, the Afghan Taliban leadership stated that they were not allowing the TTP to launch attacks inside Pakistan. When the Pakistani side confronted them with some hard evidence indicating that the last weapons possessed by the Afghan Taliban were being used by TTP terrorists, the Taliban officials did not have a clear response.
Sources said Pakistan informed Kabul in clear terms that any cross-border terrorist attack would be met with a strong response from Pakistan and that if the Afghan Taliban did not have control over its territory, Pakistan would ensure that such clear space was available for the terrorists. It was not misused.
