Pakistan attacks Taliban hideouts as Afghan foreign minister Muttaqi visits India
Afghanistan’s Taliban foreign minister assured India on Friday that Kabul would not allow any other group to use its territory against any country.
Afghanistan’s Kabul was rocked by explosions overnight on Thursday in an attack that has been blamed on Pakistan as tensions continue to deepen between the nations. What was notable is that the attacks come at a time when Afghanistan’s Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is on his maiden visit to India as part of the first high-level diplomatic talks between New Delhi and Kabul since the Taliban assumed power in 2021.
The Pakistani military announced on Friday that its security forces killed 30 militants in several raids on Pakistani Taliban hideouts in the country. It said that the action targeted the militants who were involved in the October 7 ambush on a Pakistani military convoy near the Afghan border, which killed nine soldiers and two officers.
Notably, the Taliban foreign minister assured India on Friday that Afghanistan would not allow any other group to use its territory against any country during his visit to New Delhi, which appears to have shaken Pakistan.
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Explosion in Kabul
The Afghan capital was rocked by several loud explosions on Thursday evening. However, there have been no reports of casualties or damage.
The Taliban government’s chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said, “An explosion was heard in Kabul city... But don’t worry, it’s all good and well. The accident is under investigation, and no injuries have been reported yet. So far there is no report of any harm done.”
The explosion appears to have been carried out by Pakistani forces, HT has learnt.
Pakistani forces kill 30 militants
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s security forces killed 30 militants in multiple raids on Pakistani Taliban hideouts in the country's northwestern region. These raids were carried out in Orakzai, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where a military convoy was attacked and claimed the lives of 11 soldiers, the military said.
According to the statement, all 30 militants were killed in the raids on Wednesday and Thursday and were identified as members of “Khwarij”, a misnomer that the Pakistani government uses for militants it accuses of being backed by India.
“These successful operations have avenged the heinous act and brought the main perpetrators to justice,” the statement said.
Afghanistan’s Taliban foreign minister in India
Afghanistan’s Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s outreach to India seems to have rattled Pakistan, as Muttaqi said that Kabul will not allow any element to use its territory against New Delhi's interests.
Since the Taliban came to power, India has also been pressing that Afghan soil must not be used for any terrorist activities against any country.
"Your visit marks an important step in advancing our ties and affirming the enduring friendship between India and Afghanistan," External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told Muttaqi in his opening remarks at the meeting.
During the meeting, Jaishankar said that India will reopen its embassy in Kabul, which was closed four years ago. India had pulled back its staff from its embassy in Kabul after the Taliban took over in August 2021. In June 2022, India restored its diplomatic presence in the Afghan capital by sending a "technical team".
In his remarks, Muttaqi called India an important nation in the region and one that has consistently supported the Afghan people in various areas.
“In the recent earthquake in Afghanistan, India was the first responder. Afghanistan looks at India as a close friend. We want relations based on mutual respect, trade and people-to-people ties. We are ready to create a consultative mechanism to strengthen our relations,” he said.
“I am happy to be in Delhi, and this visit will increase the understanding between the two countries. India and Afghanistan should increase their engagements and exchanges... We will not allow any group to use our territory against others,” he added.
With inputs from agencies
