Afghan Taliban and TTP open fire in Kurram sector, Pakistan destroys posts and tanks in retaliation
ISLAMABAD:
After a lull of a couple of days, tension along the western border flared up once again on Tuesday night when the Afghan Taliban and terrorists from the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) opened unprovoked fire in the Kurram sector.
According to security sources, the Pakistani army gave “a strong and effective response”, causing heavy losses in Taliban positions. As a result of the army’s retaliation, fires broke out at several Taliban posts and several enemy tanks were destroyed.
A video clip showing a moving tank being precisely hit was also shared on social media. The Taliban and TTP agents subsequently abandoned their posts and fled, leaving behind several bodies.
In the Khost area of ​​Afghanistan, which shares a border with Kurram, the tank positioned at Nargsar Post was destroyed along with its crew. Several Taliban and TTP members died inside the tank.
The Pakistan Army also attacked the Taliban tank position known as Shamshad Post. Later, Taliban soldiers and TTP terrorists raised a white flag at a nearby border post.
The army also destroyed a tank along with its crew on Turkmanzai Top. According to sources, flames could be seen coming out of the destroyed tank through night vision devices (NVD).
Pakistan Army also attacked TTP commander Naeem’s training camp located opposite Polsin post and completely destroyed it.
Security officials said there were reports of the killing of a key TTP commander, Fitna al-Khawarij, during the fighting, which continued until the filing of this report.
On Saturday night, Afghan forces opened unprovoked fire at multiple locations along the border, including Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir and Chitral areas in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Zhob district in Balochistan province.
The Pakistan Army responded quickly and forcefully and its retaliatory action resulted in the death of 200 Taliban and TTP operatives. Twenty-three Pakistan Army soldiers embraced martyrdom during the clashes.
The aggression from the Afghan side came at a time when Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi was on an official visit to India. Following the confrontation, several countries, including Saudi Arabia and Iran, urged the two countries to show restraint.
Afghanistan’s Taliban government on Friday accused Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes on its territory and warned of “consequences.” Islamabad said its patience with Kabul was running out, neither acknowledging nor denying carrying out the airstrikes.
In a press conference on Friday, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry “took note” of the reports of the strikes. “To protect the lives of the people of Pakistan, we are doing and will continue to do whatever is necessary. Our demand to Afghanistan: its soil must not be used for terrorism against Pakistan,” he added.
Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of failing to expel terrorists who use Afghan territory to launch attacks against Pakistan, a charge that authorities in Kabul deny. The TTP and its affiliates are behind most of the violence in Pakistan, much of it directed against security forces.
According to some experts, Pakistan has finally decided to change its policy towards the Afghan Taliban, of which it became the biggest sponsor when they returned to power in August 2021.
On Monday, the Foreign Ministry clearly signaled Pakistan’s U-turn on the Afghan Taliban by refraining from describing the Kabul administration as the interim Afghan government, instead referring to it as the “Taliban regime,” a move calculated to call its legitimacy into question.
“Pakistan wants a peaceful, stable, friendly, inclusive, regionally connected and prosperous Afghanistan. Pakistan expects the Taliban regime to act responsibly, fulfill its commitments and play a constructive role in achieving the shared goal of eradicating terrorism from its soil.
“We also hope that one day the Afghan people will be emancipated and governed by a truly representative government,” the Foreign Ministry said.
