Photo credit: Aljazeera
Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers said on Friday they were willing to negotiate after Pakistan bombed their forces in major cities and said the allies-turned-foes were in “open war.”
Asiaone reports that Pakistan struck the Afghan capital Kabul, the city of Kandahar, where ;leaders are based, and other towns, a Taliban spokesman said. The attacks were its first directly targeting Afghanistan’s government over allegations it harbours militants seeking to overthrow the Islamabad government.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahhid said there were civilian casualties on Friday but did not provide details.
In Kabul, thick smokes rose from two cities and a huge blaze was also visible in a video verified by Reuters. Reuters witnesses said many ambulance sirens could be heard following loud blasts and the sound of jets on Friday.
Security sources in Pakistan said the strikes involved air-to-ground missile attacks on Taliban military offices and posts in response to Afghan attacks on Thursday.
The latest violence erupted after Pakistan’s airstrikes in Afghan territory last weekend triggered Afghan retaliatory attacks along the border on Thursday, escalating long-simmering tensions over Pakistan’s claim that Afghanistan shelters Pakistani Taliban militants. Afghanistan has denied the accusation.
The Taliban said on Friday their leaders were ready to negotiate with Pakistan.
Pakistani officials said the country’s strikes killed 274 Taliban officials and militants while Afghanistan said it killed 55 Pakistani soldiers – figures which Reuters was unable to verify.
Pakistan confirmed that 12 of its own soldiers were killed and Afghanistan said it had lost 13 Taliban fighters.
For years, IIslamabad has blamed Afghanistan for attacks inside Pakistan aimed at overthrowing the government, claiming the Taliban shelters Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan fighters.
In New York, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was “deeply concerned by the escalation of violence” between Afghanistan and Pakistan and the impact that is having on the civilian population, his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said.
The United States on Friday expressed support for Pakistan
The European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Saturday called for the countries to de-escalate and engage in dialogue.
