Pakistan Ambassador summoned by Taliban over airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Khost, Kunar

In a series of tweets, the Foreign Ministry mentioned that the Afghan side condemned the recent attacks on Khost and Kunar provinces and further stressed the prevention of such acts.

Following the recent airstrikes in different parts of Afghanistan’s Khost and Kunar provinces, the Taliban authorities summoned Pakistan’s ambassador in Kabul to protest against military strikes inside Afghanistan by Pakistani forces, the Afghan foreign ministry said.

According to the country’s foreign ministry, the Afghan acting minister of foreign affairs, Amir Khan Muttaqi and the acting deputy defense minister Alhaj Mullah Shirin Akhund were present during the session.

“Pakistani Ambassador to Kabul Summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, today. Along with the IEA Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, the session also included Deputy Defense Minister Alhaj Mullah Shirin Akhund where the Afghan side condemned the recent,” it tweeted.

In a series of tweets, the Foreign Ministry mentioned that the Afghan side condemned the recent attacks on Khost and Kunar provinces and further stressed the prevention of such acts. During the session, Minister Muttaqi said all military violations including that in Khost and Kunar must be prevented as such acts deteriorate relations between the two countries, allowing antagonists to misuse the situation leading to undesired consequences.

A local Taliban official and residents said 36 people were killed in air strikes on Friday by Pakistani aircraft entering Afghan airspace. Pakistan denied it carried out the strikes.

Islamabad claims militants carry out attacks inside Pakistan by crossing its lawless western border with Afghanistan. Taliban authorities say they have controlled the attacks since taking over the country in August last year.

According to the Khaama Press report, officials of the Khost province informed that the Pakistani aircraft bombed the Pesa Mila, and Mir Safar areas of the province on Friday night.

The local residents of the province claimed that 33 members of two families were killed due to the airstrikes that were conducted in the Spera district of Khost province. Further, five children and a woman were reported dead in the airstrike conducted by Pakistan, the local residents of Shaltan district of Kunar province said.

As both the Pakistan government and the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan continue to remain silent on the bombing, the Pakistani media has said that the bombings have targeted the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Pashtun Islamist militant groups in those provinces, the Khaama Press report stated.