Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has summoned the Taliban’s deputy head of mission and urged the latter’s administration to take action against Afghanistan-based militant groups that Islamabad says attacked a military base this week.
Militants attacked the base in Bannu in northwestern Pakistan, ramming a vehicle loaded with explosives into the perimeter wall and killing eight Pakistani security force members.
The Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group claimed responsibility for the attack, which Pakistan’s military says is based in neighboring Afghanistan.
Islamabad claims it has constantly raised the matter of increased cross-border attacks with the Taliban leadership, escalating tensions between the neighbors’ security forces, which have battled on the border in recent years.
The Taliban, whose spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment, has repeatedly denied permitting terrorists to operate on Afghan territory.
Pakistan’s foreign office issued a statement reiterating its significant worries over the existence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan, which continue to pose a threat to Pakistan’s security.
It asked the Taliban government to “fully investigate and take immediate, robust and effective action against the perpetrators of the Bannu attack and to prevent the recurrence of such attacks.”
Pakistan has conducted intelligence-based operations to target militant groups in Afghanistan, including airstrikes in March, according to the Taliban.
🔊: PR NO. 1️⃣2️⃣6️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣4️⃣
Pakistan Serves Strong Demarche to Afghanistan over the Terror Attack on Bannu Cantonment
🔗⬇️ https://t.co/tgccxXQo6G pic.twitter.com/hQmPbOGXtK
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) July 17, 2024
