US backs Pakistan’s right to self-defence amid deadly cross-border strikes in Afghanistan

The US State Department has said that Pakistan has the right to defend itself against what it described as “terrorist attacks.” In a statement, it added: “The people of Pakistan have suffered significant harm and hardship at the hands of terrorists in recent years.” The statement comes as the Taliban authorities have not yet issued an official response. However, Taliban spokespeople have previously repeatedly alleged that Pakistani attacks on Afghan territory are carried out with “US indication and guidance” and form part of a “planned project.” The comments from Washington follow Pakistani airstrikes this week in Afghanistan’s eastern provinces of Paktia, Paktika and Kunar. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said at least 28 civilians were killed and 49 others wounded in the strikes, including women and children. Pakistan’s military said the operations targeted hideouts of the (TTP) and the group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, adding that 25 militants were killed. The conflicting accounts highlight significant discrepancies between the parties and the UN over both casualty figures and the intended targets of the strikes. The Taliban said Pakistan struck civilian homes, adding that their forces later targeted Islamic State-linked positions and other “enemy elements” in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces.