Pakistan issues a warning to the Afghan Taliban not to host terrorists
The Baluchistan region of Pakistan, which borders Afghanistan, is home to a number of terrorist organizations. They consist of the so-called “Islamic State” organization as well as the Pakistani Taliban and Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan.
The Taliban in Afghanistan have been warned with a “effective response” by Pakistan’s military leader if they do not cease sheltering terrorists who plan cross-border strikes in Pakistan.
The army, according to General Asim Munir, has “serious concerns” about the claimed safe havens and freedom of action provided by Kabul to the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban.
Attacks in the region of Baluchistan, which borders Afghanistan, as well as elsewhere, have previously been blamed on the TTP.
Other terrorist organizations operating in the area include the so-called “Islamic State” (IS) group and Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan, a recently founded organization that claimed responsibility for an assault this week that killed nine Pakistani troops.
“Such attacks are intolerable and would elicit an effective response from the security forces of Pakistan,” the Pakistani army said.
‘Intolerable assaults’ are attributed to Kabul.
Munir charged Afghanistan of failing to uphold its end of a 2020 deal with the US to prevent terrorist organizations from utilizing Afghan territory for operations.
These “intolerable attacks would draw an effective response,” he added, without going into further detail, if they don’t.
The Friday announcement from Pakistan’s army elicited no immediate response from the Taliban-run administration in Kabul.
It has, however, repeatedly refuted allegations that it protected TTP members or those who belong to other terrorist organizations that threaten Pakistan.
According to the Pakistani military, “the involvement of Afghan nationals in acts of terrorism in Pakistan is another important concern that needs to be addressed.”
