ISLAMABAD: Reinstating its support for Afghanistan in the country’s fight against terror, Pakistan on Tuesday strongly condemned an attack in Kabul, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“Pakistan strongly condemns the shooting and suicide attack at a government building in Kabul yesterday, that has resulted in the loss of over 40 precious lives and injuries to many others,” the statement read.
“Pakistan stands together with the government and people of Afghanistan in this hour of grief,” it added.
The terrorist attack on Monday began with a suicide bomb blast near a government building's compound in Kabul before armed gunmen stormed inside.
According to media reports, at least 43 people died in the attack, considered to be the deadliest to take place in the country this year.
The incident in Kabul came just hours after Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, along with a coterie of other officials, met with Afghan leaders to discuss the recent developments of a peace process, talks for which were held in Abu Dhabi and involved representatives from the Taliban, US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and the UAE.
Pakistan strongly condemns terrorist attack in Kabul
Pakistan strongly condemns terrorist attack in Kabul
- Reiterates solidarity with Afghanistan in their fight against militancy
- Incident came just hours after FM Qureshi’s visit to the country
Pakistan military says 13 militants killed in counterterror operations across northwest
- Military says counterterror operations launched in Bajaur, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber and South Waziristan districts
- The counterterror operations take place as Afghanistan and Pakistan remain locked in conflict since late last month
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani security forces this week killed 13 militants in five separate counterterror operations in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the military’s media wing said on Sunday, vowing to eliminate militancy from the country.
The counterterror operations were conducted on Mar. 6-7, with Pakistani troops killing five militants in the northwestern Bajaur district in the first operation. In two other encounters in Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan district, security forces killed three militants belonging to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
Meanwhile, five other militants were killed in two separate counterterror operations in Khyber and South Waziristan districts in which five more militants were slain.
“Weapons and ammunition were also recovered from Indian-sponsored killed khwarij, who remained actively involved in numerous terrorist activities in the area,” ISPR said in a statement.
Pakistan’s military frequently uses the term “Fitna al Khwarij” to describe TTP militants. The militant outfit has carried out some of the deadliest attacks against Pakistani civilians and security forces since 2007 in a bid to impose their strict brand of Islamic law across the country.
Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of sheltering the TTP and facilitating their attacks against Pakistan, a charge Kabul has denied. Pakistan also accuses India of supporting these militant groups, which New Delhi has repeatedly rejected.
The counterterror operations take place as Pakistan remains locked in conflict with Afghanistan since late February.
The worst fighting between the two sides began late last month when Afghan forces launched a surprise attack on Pakistani military installations along their shared border. Afghanistan said the assault was in retaliation for Pakistan’s earlier airstrikes in February on what Islamabad described as militant camps inside Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday that Islamabad has killed 527 Afghan Taliban fighters and injured more than 755 since clashes began.
Afghanistan has also claimed attacking multiple Pakistani military bases and killing several Pakistani soldiers. Arab News has not independently verified the claims by both sides.
Pakistan has ruled out talks with Afghanistan and said it will continue its military operations in the country till it withdraws support for militant groups that Islamabad says operate from Afghanistan.
