Afghan Taliban, TTP open fire in Kurram sector, Pakistan destroys posts, tanks in retaliatory fire
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 of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) opened unprovoked fire in the Kurram sector.
According to security sources, the Pakistan Army gave “a strong and effective response,” inflicting heavy losses on Taliban positions. As a result of the army’s retaliation, fires broke out at several Taliban posts, and a number of enemy tanks were destroyed.
A video clip showing a moving tank being hit with precision was also shared on social media. The Taliban and TTP operatives later abandoned their posts and fled, leaving behind several bodies.
In the Khost area of Afghanistan which shares border with Kurram, the tank positioned at Nargsar Post was destroyed along with its crew. Several members of the Taliban and the TTP were killed inside the tank.
The Pakistan Army also targeted the Taliban tank position known as Shamshad Post. Later, the Taliban soldiers and the TTP terrorists raised a white flag at a nearby border post.
The army also destroyed a tank along with its crew at Turkmanzai Top. According to the sources, flames could be seen rising from the destroyed tank through night-vision devices (NVDs).
The Pakistan Army also targeted the training camp of TTP commander Naeem, located opposite the Polsin Post, and destroyed it completely.
Security officials said there were reports of the killing of a key TTPFitna al-Khawarijcommander during the fighting, which continued until the filing of this report.
Afghan forces on Saturday night opened unprovoked fire at multiple locations along the borderincluding Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir and Chitral areas in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Zhob district in Balochistan province.
The Pakistan Army responded swiftly and forcefully and its retaliatory action resulted in the death of 200 Taliban and TTP operatives. Twenty-three soldiers of the Pakistan Army 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 various countries including Saudi Arabia and Iran urged the two countries to show restraint.
Afghanistan’s Taliban government accused Pakistan on Friday of carrying out airstrikes on its territory and warned of “consequences”. Islamabad said its patience with Kabul is running out, without acknowledging or denying carrying out the airstrikes.
In a press conference on Friday, Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry “noted” 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: Your soil must not be used for terrorism against Pakistan,” he added.
Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of failing to expel terrorists using Afghan territory to launch attacks on Pakistan, an accusation that authorities in Kabul deny. The TTP and its affiliates are behind most of the violence in Pakistanlargely directed at security forces.
According to some experts, Pakistan has finally decided to change its policy with regard to the Afghan Taliban of which it emerged as the biggest backer when they returned to power in August 2021.
The Foreign Office on Monday dropped a clear hint about Pakistan’s U-turn on the Afghan Taliban as it refrained from describing the Kabul administration as the Afghan interim government but referred to it as the “Taliban regime”a calculated move to question its legitimacy.
“Pakistan is desirous of a peaceful, stable, friendly, inclusive, regionally connected, and prosperous Afghanistan. Pakistan expects the Taliban regime to act responsibly, honour its commitments, and play a constructive role in achieving the shared objective of rooting out terrorism from its soil.
“We also hope that one day, the Afghan people will be emancipated and they will be governed by a true representative government,” the Foreign Office said.
