Kabul [Afghanistan]: Afghanistan has accused Pakistan for not launching military operations on the sanctuaries of Taliban and Haqqani network, which are located in the key cities of Pakistan i.e. Peshawar and Quetta. Mocking Pakistan army for launching ‘Operation Khyber IV’ in the tribal regions of Khyber Agency close to the Durand Line, Afghanistan officials said, “the main centres and sanctuaries of the terrorist groups are located in Pakistan’s own cities and not in the tribal regions in Khyber Agency.
The ministry of defense spokesman Gen. Dawlat Waziri said that “the main centres and sanctuaries of the terrorist groups are located in the key cities of Pakistan and not in the tribal regions close to the Durand Line,” as he was responding the launch of the new operations by the Pakistani army in Khyber Agency.
However, a Pakistani military spokesman said “Afghan Ministry of Defence’s response to ‘Operation Khyber IV’ is unwarranted and runs counter to Pakistan Army’s efforts for better Pak-Afghan coordination and cooperation”.
The Afghan officials have long been insisting that the leadership councils of the Taliban group and the notorious Haqqani terrorist network are based in Peshawar, Quetta, and other parts of Pakistan from where they plan and coordinate attacks in Afghanistan, Khaama Press reported.
Pakistan launched a military operation codenamed ‘Operation Khyber IV’ to counter the potential threat posed by terrorists groups including Daesh in the tribal areas. Since then the militaries of Pakistan and Afghanistan are engaged in a war of words.
The accusations by Afghanistan comes at a time when the U.S. State Department in its annual ‘Country Report on Terrorism’, as mandated by the Congress, said that Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) continue to operate, train, organise and raise fund inside Islamabad and Pakistani military and security forces undertook operations against groups that conducted attacks within Pakistan such as Tehrik-eTaliban Pakistan.
US Department of Defense in its report said last month that “Afghan oriented militant groups, including the Taliban and Haqqani Network, retain freedom of action inside Pakistani territory and benefit from support from elements of the Pakistani Government.”
ANI