Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of 'unprovoked firing' along border, warns severe response

Islamabad: Pakistan on Tuesday accused the Afghan Taliban of “unprovoked firing” along the border, while warning of a severe response to any further such attacks.

The firing came just days after Pakistan launched airstrikes against the alleged hideouts of the terrorists inside Afghanistan after recent terrorist attacks within the country.

Prime Minister’s spokesman for international media, Mosharraf Zaidi, said in a post on X on Tuesday that the “Afghan Taliban regime initiated unprovoked firing along the Pakistan-Afghanistan Border in Torkham & Tirah sub-sectors.” He said that Pakistan’s security forces responded immediately and effectively to the firing, “silencing the Taliban aggression.” He warned that “any further provocation will be responded to immediately and severely” and added that “Pakistan will continue to protect its citizens and guard its territorial integrity.” Earlier, the Afghan Taliban had vowed to respond to the air attacks.

On Sunday, Pakistan had claimed to kill 70 terrorists in the military strikes targeting at least seven militant hideouts in Afghanistan in retaliation to the recent rebel attacks in the country.

“Afghanistan has long been exporting terrorism. Pakistan is taking all actions to secure the life and property of its citizens,” Pakistan State Minister for Interior Talal Chaudhry told Geo News.

Relations between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban have deteriorated due to the alleged failure of Kabul to stop terrorists from using its soil to attack Pakistan.

Last year in October, the two sides were briefly engaged in an armed conflict in which 23 Pakistan soldiers and over 200 Afghan Taliban soldiers were killed, according to the Pakistan army.