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Taliban foreign minister's ‘certain sections’ jibe at Pakistan amid border clashes
The comments from Amir Khan Muttaqi come after over 65 people were killed after Afghanistan launched an attack on Pakistani border posts.
Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said on Sunday that Afghanistan has other options against Pakistan if peace talks fail, alleging that “certain sections” in Islamabad want to spoil ties between both countries, apparently referring to its army.
The comments come after over 65 people were killed after Afghanistan launched an attack on Pakistani border posts. The Taliban government described the attacks as “retaliation for repeated violations of territory and airspace”.
“The people of Pakistan, in the majority, are peace-loving and want good relations with Afghanistan. We have no issues with the Pakistani civilians. There is a section in Pakistan that is creating tensions. Afghanistan will safeguard its borders and its national interest, and that is why it immediately retaliated to the escalation from Pakistan. We achieved our military objectives last night, and our friends, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, have expressed that this conflict should come to an end, so we have paused it from our side for the time being. The situation is now under control,” Muttaqi said in a press conference in New Delhi.
The Taliban foreign minister is in India for a six-day visit. He said that Afghanistan wants peace but also warned that if Pakistan doesn't want it, Kabul has “other options” as well.
"We only want good relations and peace. When someone tries to interfere in our internal matters, all civilians, government heads, ulemas and all religious leaders come together to fight in the interest of the country. Afghanistan has been in conflict for 40 years. Afghanistan is finally free and is working for peace. If Pakistan doesn't want good relations and peace, then Afghanistan has other options as well," he added.
What has happened so far
At least 58 Pakistani soldiers and nine Afghan soldiers were killed overnight after security forces of the two countries clashed along their shared border, marking one of the deadliest confrontations in years. Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and interior minister Mohsin Naqvi vowed a “strong response”.
Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said that operations against Pakistan were halted on Saturday midnight after Saudi Arabia and Qatar intervened.
“The situation on all official borders and de facto lines of Afghanistan is under complete control, and illegal activities have been largely prevented,” Mujahid told a press conference in Kabul. He also claimed that the Afghan forces have captured 25 Pakistani army posts.
Pakistan has claimed that it has seized 19 Afghan military posts and "terrorist hideouts" in response to what it termed "unprovoked" attacks by Afghan forces in the border areas, news agency PTI has reported, citing security sources.
