KARACHI: Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Sunday condemned “unprovoked” firing by Afghan forces along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, promising a befitting response to the incursions.
The firefights broke out along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border late on Saturday when the Afghan Taliban attacked Pakistani posts, according to security officials from both countries. It followed an alleged Pakistani airstrike in Kabul this week.
Pakistani security officials said that they were responding “with full force” to what they called unprovoked firing from Afghanistan. The exchange of fire took place at more than six locations along the border, they said.
The Taliban forces said they captured three Pakistani border posts. Pakistani security officials said their military had destroyed several Afghan posts. Video footage shared by Pakistani security officials showed gun and artillery firing toward Afghanistan, lighting up the night sky.
“The firing by Afghan forces on civilian population is a blatant violation of international laws,” Pakistani Interior Minister Naqvi said in a statement.
“The game of fire and blood that Afghanistan is playing is linked with our eternal enemy,” he said, in a clear reference to India.
The border skirmishes come during Afghan foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s weeklong visit to India, where said on Saturday Pakistan should not blame Afghanistan for its internal problems.
Afghanistan this week accused Pakistan of breaching its airspace and bombing a border town, while Islamabad has frequently voiced concerns about cross-border militancy from Afghan soil in recent months.
“Afghanistan will also be given a befitting reply like India that it will not dare cast an evil eye at Pakistan,” Naqvi said.
His statement was a reference to a four-day military conflict between Pakistan and India in May, which saw the two neighbors attack each other with drones, artillery and fighter jets.
Enayatullah Khowarazmi, spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense, said it was a retaliatory operation for Pakistan’s violation of Afghan airspace. He said the attack concluded at midnight local time.
“If the opposing side again violates Afghanistan’s airspace, our armed forces are prepared to defend their airspace and will deliver a strong response,” Reuters quoted Khowarazmi as saying.
There was no immediate response from Pakistan on whether the clashes had ended. The Pakistan-Afghanistan border runs for 2,600 km (1,615 miles).
Islamabad accuses the Afghan Taliban administration of harboring militants of the Pakistani Taliban who attack Pakistan, with the support of Pakistan’s adversary, India. New Delhi denies the charge, while the Taliban say that they do not allow their territory to be used against other countries.
