Islamabad, May 01: A US military report says Afghan militants continue to enjoy sanctuary in Pakistan’s border regions with Afghanistan, 10 years since the US-led invasion.
“The concern about the role of safe havens in Pakistan and the role of actors in Pakistan remains a significant challenge,” a senior defense official said at a Pentagon briefing.
According to the official, Pentagon has sent its six-monthly report to Congress on progress made in war-torn Afghanistan.
He added that the US is looking for continued and increased cooperation with Pakistan on the border, Times of India reported.
The Pentagon report notes that Taliban militants are able to regenerate command, control and operational capacity from the region.
The report warns that the militants will likely retain operational momentum in areas where the support structures exist.
It also urges Pakistan to do more to eliminate safe havens for militants.
Earlier this month, Washington acknowledged that the Taliban have gained strength in Pakistan’s border regions with Afghanistan.
The report concluded that there remains no clear path toward defeating militancy in Pakistan.
The US military carries out aerial operations on the Pakistani regions which are home to militant hideouts, but the unauthorized US drone attacks have often led to the death of civilians.
Last year alone, some 1,200 Pakistanis were killed in over 100 such strikes, reports say.
The strikes have further fueled the anti-US sentiment already on the rise in the region.
Insecurity is also rising in Afghanistan despite the presence of about 150,000 US-led foreign troops.
——-Agencies