6 yıl önce

Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of air strikes ahead of PM Abbasi's visit

That latest accusation comes as Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in a visit to Kabul is expected to hold talks with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on co-operation to halt militant attacks.

Afghanistan on Thursday accused Pakistan of air strikes causing "huge financial damages" in the province of Kunar bordering Pakistan, ahead of a visit to Kabul on Friday by Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

Abbasi is set to hold talks with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on co-operation to halt militant attacks.

The latest allegation from Afghan side highlights long-standing mistrust between the neighbours, even as both seek ways to improve security.

Afghanistan's ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement that Pakistani jets dropped four bombs on Wednesday evening in Kunar's Dangam district, without elaborating on the damage or making any mention of casualties.

"Afghanistan warns that continuing violations of international norms ... will have further consequences on the relations between the two countries," the ministry added.

Pakistan rejects allegations

Pakistan rejected as "baseless" the allegation that it violated Afghan airspace.

In a statement, its foreign affairs ministry said Pakistan's security forces were countering militant groups based in Afghanistan that launch attacks across the border.

The spokesman of the ministry of foreign affairs in Pakistan responded to Afghan allegations in a series of tweets.

Pakistani security forces are undertaking counter-terrorism operations in Bajaur Agency directed against terrorist groups who continue to attack Pakistan from their sanctuaries based on Afghan soil that have resulted in loss of lives and injuries on the Pakistani side.2/6
— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@DrMFaisal) April 5, 2018

The information about the ongoing counter-terrorism operations is shared with the Afghan security forces on a regular basis.3/6
— Dr Mohammad Faisal (@DrMFaisal) April 5, 2018

Military officials of the two countries met on Thursday in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi, where Pakistan shared details of the operations with Afghanistan, the ministry added.

The operations took place on the Pakistani side of the border, Pakistan said.

Afghanistan should focus on plugging gaps on its side of the border and refrain from the "blame game," the ministry said.

Afghanistan's Western-backed government has long accused Pakistan of harbouring Afghan Taliban insurgents, a charge that Islamabad denies.

Islamabad, in turn, accuses Afghanistan of not doing enough to eradicate Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan militants, many of whom are based in Afghanistan and mostly carry out attacks inside Pakistan.

SOURCE: Reuters