Taliban warns Pakistan after rocket assaults kill 5 Afghan kids

The Taliban authorities warned Pakistan on Saturday after 5 kids and a girl had been killed in Afghanistan in alleged rocket assaults by the Pakistani army in a pre-dawn assault alongside the border.

Border tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have risen for the reason that Taliban seized energy final yr, with Islamabad claiming militant teams had been finishing up assaults from Afghan soil.

The Taliban deny harbouring Pakistani militants, however are additionally infuriated by a fence Islamabad is erecting alongside their 2,700-kilometre (1,600-mile) border referred to as the Durand line, which was drawn up in colonial instances.

“Five children and a woman were killed and a man wounded in Pakistani rocket attacks in Shelton district of Kunar,” provincial director of knowledge Najibullah Hassan Abdaal instructed AFP referring to the jap province of Kunar bordering Pakistan.

ALSO READ | Pakistan airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Khost, Kunar provinces, no less than 30 killed

Ehsanullah, a resident of Shelton district who goes by one identify as many Afghans do, mentioned the assault was carried out by Pakistani army plane.

An analogous pre-dawn assault was carried out in Afghanistan’s Khost province close to the border, one other Afghan authorities official mentioned.

“Pakistani helicopters bombarded four villages near the Durand line in Khost province,” he mentioned on situation of anonymity.

“Only civilian houses were targeted and there were casualties,” he added, however didn’t provide extra particulars.

Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities warned Islamabad after the assaults.

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan condemns in the strongest possible terms the bombardment and attack that has taken place from the Pakistan side on the soil of Afghanistan,” authorities spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid instructed reporters in an audio message.

ALSO READ | I wasn’t harmful after I was in energy, however can be now, says ex-Pakistan PM Imran Khan

“This is a cruelty and it is paving the way for enmity between Afghanistan and Pakistan…We are using all options to prevent repetitions (of such attacks) and calling for our sovereignty to be respected.

The Pakistani side should know that if a war starts it will not be in the interest of any side. It will cause instability in the region.”

MILITARY VIOLATIONS

Pakistani army officers weren’t instantly out there for remark.

Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi protested to Pakistan’s ambassador in Kabul towards what he mentioned had been “military violations” dedicated by Pakistan.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) mentioned it was “deeply concerned” by civilian deaths brought on by air strikes, and the mission was verifying the extent of losses.

TOLO News, Afghanistan’s main personal TV channel, confirmed footage of homes destroyed within the assault in Khost.

“All the targeted people were innocent civilians who had nothing to do with the Taliban or the government,” Rasool Jan, a resident of Khost, instructed the channel.

“We don’t know who is our enemy and why we were targeted.”

ALSO READ | Pakistan needs peaceable ties with India: Shehbaz Sharif thanks PM Modi for needs

Hundreds of civilians of Khost poured into the streets chanting anti-Pakistan slogans in a while Saturday, images obtained by AFP confirmed.

Border areas between the 2 international locations have lengthy been a stronghold for militant teams such because the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which operates throughout the porous frontier with Afghanistan.

The Afghan Taliban and the TTP are separate teams in each international locations, however share a standard ideology and draw from individuals who reside on both aspect of the border.

Thousands of individuals often cross the border day by day, together with merchants, Afghans looking for medical therapy in Pakistan, and other people visiting kinfolk.

ALSO READ | India designates Pakistani nationwide as terrorist for involvement in Pulwama assault

Since the Taliban returned to energy in Afghanistan, the TTP has change into emboldened and launched common assaults towards Pakistani forces.

In February, six Pakistan troopers had been killed in firing by the TTP from Afghanistan.

Last month the TTP introduced it could launch an offensive towards Pakistani safety forces from the primary day of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The TTP are pressuring the Pakistani authorities to permit militants to return to their hometowns with impunity after international fighters had been instructed by the Afghan Taliban to depart Afghanistan.