Islamabad: Pakistan on Sunday said it targeted at least seven terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan in retaliation for the recent rebel attacks in the country, with Kabul warning of a “necessary and measured response” to the strikes.
In the latest terrorist incident, an army lieutenant colonel and a soldier were killed in a suicide attack in the Bannu area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Saturday.
According to a statement by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Pakistan has conclusive evidence that these acts of terrorism, including at a Shiite mosque in Islamabad, one each in Bajaur and Bannu, followed by another incident in Bannu on Saturday, were allegedly perpetrated by Khwarij on the behest of their Afghanistan-based leadership and handlers.
“Responsibilities for these attacks were also claimed by Afghanistan-based Pakistani Taliban belonging to Fitna-al-Khwarij (FAK) and their affiliates, and Islamic State of Khorsan Province (ISKP),” the ministry said.
Fitna-al-Khawarij is a term that the state uses for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
It said that despite repeated efforts by Pakistan to urge the Afghan Taliban regime to take verifiable measures to prevent the use of Afghan territory by terrorist groups and foreign proxies to carry out terrorist activities in Pakistan, it “failed” to undertake any substantive action against them.
“In this backdrop, Pakistan in a retributive response, has carried out intelligence-based selective targeting of seven terrorist camps and hideouts belonging to Pakistani Taliban of FAK and its affiliates and ISKP at the border region of Pakistan Afghan border with precision and accuracy,” it said.
The minister added that Pakistan expects and reiterates the interim Afghan government to fulfil its obligations.
Pakistan also expects the international community to play a positive and constructive role by urging the Taliban regime to stand by its commitments as part of the Doha Agreement to deny use of its soil against other countries; an act vital for regional and global peace and security, it stated.
It further said that Pakistan has always strived for maintaining peace and stability in the region, but at the same time, the “safety and security of our citizens remains our top priority”. Meanwhile, Afghanistan in a statement warned that the Pakistani strikes on the provinces of Paktika and Nangarhar will be
met with a “necessary and measured response”.