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  • Senior Taliban official urges reversal of education ban on Afghan girls


    In a rare public rebuke, a senior Taliban figure has called on the group’s leadership to end the ban on education for women and girls in Afghanistan.

    Afghan foreign ministry political deputy Sher Abbas Stanikzai made the remarks in a speech on Saturday in south-eastern Afghanistan’s Khost province.

    He told an audience at a religious school ceremony there was no reason to deny education to women and girls, “just as there was no justification for it in the past and there shouldn’t be one at all”.

    After seizing power in 2021, the Taliban government instated a ban on females accessing education after the sixth grade.

    Members and supporters of the Taliban stand on a U.S. flag as they hold a rally.

    The Taliban has banned women from higher education at institutions like Kabul University. (Reuters: Sayed Hassib)

    Mr Stanikzai asserted the ongoing prohibition against female education had no religious justification.

    “We are committing an injustice against 20 million people out of a population of 40 million, depriving them of all their rights,” Mr Stanikzai said in a video shared by his official account on social media.

    “This is not in Islamic law, but our personal choice or nature.” 

    Comments dismissed as bid to ‘rebrand’ Taliban

    Mr Stanikzai was once the head of the Taliban team in talks that led to the complete withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan.

    It is not the first time he has said that women and girls deserve an education.

    He made similar remarks in September 2022, a year after schools closed for girls and months before the introduction of a university ban.

    a generic photo of young girls in an afghan school

    Activists have warned that true progress can only come when there is the full restoration of women’s rights in Afghanistan. (AP: Ebrahim Noroozi/File)

    “We call on the leadership again to open the doors of education,” he said, marking the first call for a change in policy and a direct appeal to Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.

    However, Afghan women’s rights advocates warned against viewing it as a turning point.

    Zubaida Akbar, an activist with the women’s human rights organisation Femena, said the remarks were likely a strategic move to bolster credibility for the Taliban internationally.

    “The Taliban deputy’s remarks about there being no excuse for the education bans on Afghan women and girls reflects desperation,” Ms Akbar told the ABC.

    “They think making these statements is a strategic move to rebrand themselves as progressive.”

    A man with a long white beard and glasses.

    Deputy Foreign Minister Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai is often criticised by his peers for advocating for women’s rights. (Reuters: Ali Khara)

    Crisis Group analyst Ibraheem Bahiss said Mr Stanikzai had periodically made statements deeming education to be the right of all Afghan women and girls.

    “However, this latest statement seems to go further in the sense that he is publicly calling for a change in policy and questioned the legitimacy of the current approach,” Mr Bahiss said.

    Susan Hutchinson, executive director of the NGO Azadi-e Zan (Free Woman), who has helped several women’s rights defenders from Afghanistan, said Mr Stanikzai’s comments alone are not enough to lead to a lift in the ban.

    “Mr Stanikzai is one of the more progressive of the Taliban leaders and is often criticised by his peers for his stand on women’s freedoms,” Ms Hutchinson explained.

    “The lack of educational access is a serious issue for the Afghan economy and overall welfare of the country,” she added.

    Pressure on Taliban regime over denial of women’s rights

    No country recognises the Taliban as the legitimate rulers of Afghanistan, but countries like Russia have been building ties with them.

    India has also been developing relations with Afghan authorities.

    Malala Yousafzai calls treatment of women in Afghanistan gendered apartheid

    Nobel Peace laureate Malala Yousafzai has called on the international community to speak out against the Taliban’s ban on women and girls’ education.

    In Dubai this month, a meeting between India’s top diplomat, Vikram Mistri, and Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi showed their deepening cooperation.

    The United Nations has said that recognition of the Taliban government is almost impossible while bans on female education and employment remain in place and women can’t go out in public without a male guardian.

    Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai this month told a conference hosted by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Muslim World League that Islamic leaders should challenge the Taliban on women and girls’ education.

    Ms Akbar highlighted the broader repression under the Taliban including banning women from work, singing or being heard in public.

    “Access to education is not meaningful progress if women cannot freely move, speak, or participate in public life,” Ms Akbar said.

    She called on the international community to remain vigilant against attempts to use partial reforms to win legitimacy. 

    “The Taliban negotiator’s statements appear to be a calculated effort to present an image of reform within their ranks.”

    Girls sitting in a classroom with colourful posters on the wall.

    Some activists warn that the Taliban’s statements may be a calculated effort to present an image of reform. (Save the Children: Holly Robertson)

    A statement on behalf of Ambassador Wahidullah Waissi of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Canberra to the ABC echoed these sentiments.

    “Restoring girls’ access to education — an essential and fundamental human right —requires more than superficial policy changes or public discourse; it demands a transformative shift in attitudes to undo the deep damage caused by their oppressive actions,” said the statement.

    Since the Taliban’s forced takeover in August 2021, the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in Canberra has continued to fulfill its diplomatic responsibilities under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961, operating independently of Taliban influence.

    Afghan school girls stand outside wearing uniforms and headscarves.

    The Taliban has increasing added restrictions on women since taking power.  (Reuters)

    Last September, there were reports authorities had also stopped medical training and courses for women.

    In Afghanistan, women and girls can only be treated by female doctors and health professionals.

    Authorities have yet to confirm the medical training ban.

    ABC/AP



    In a surprising turn of events, a senior Taliban official has urged for the reversal of the education ban on Afghan girls. This comes as a welcomed change from the group’s strict policies that have oppressed women and girls for years.

    The official, whose identity has not been disclosed, emphasized the importance of education for all Afghan citizens, regardless of gender. They stated that education is a fundamental human right and should not be denied to anyone.

    This statement has sparked hope among many in Afghanistan, especially parents and activists who have been fighting for girls’ education for years. It remains to be seen how this will be implemented on the ground, but it is a step in the right direction towards gender equality and empowerment.

    It is encouraging to see a shift in mindset within the Taliban leadership, and hopefully, this will lead to positive changes for Afghan girls and women in the future. Let’s continue to advocate for equal opportunities for all, regardless of gender.

    Tags:

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    2. Senior Taliban leader advocates for reversal of girls’ education prohibition
    3. Afghan girls’ education ban challenged by high-ranking Taliban official
    4. Senior Taliban member pushes for change in policy on girls’ schooling
    5. Taliban official urges lifting of ban on education for Afghan girls
    6. Reversing the ban: Senior Taliban leader’s plea for girls’ education in Afghanistan
    7. Senior Taliban official calls for reevaluation of policy on girls’ schooling
    8. Afghan girls’ education rights advocated by senior Taliban figure
    9. Taliban leader speaks out against ban on education for Afghan girls
    10. Senior Taliban official demands action on girls’ education ban in Afghanistan

    #Senior #Taliban #official #urges #reversal #education #ban #Afghan #girls

  • Taliban deputy tells leader there is no excuse for education bans on Afghan women and girls


    A senior Taliban figure has urged the group’s leader to scrap education bans on Afghan women and girls, saying there is no excuse for them, in a rare public rebuke of government policy.

    Sher Abbas Stanikzai, political deputy at the Foreign Ministry, made the remarks in a speech on Saturday in southeastern Khost province.

    He told an audience at a religious school ceremony there was no reason to deny education to women and girls, “just as there was no justification for it in the past and there shouldn’t be one at all.”

    The government has barred females from education after sixth grade. Last September, there were reports authorities had also stopped medical training and courses for women.

    In Afghanistan, women and girls can only be treated by female doctors and health professionals. Authorities have yet to confirm the medical training ban.

    “We call on the leadership again to open the doors of education,” said Stanikzai in a video shared by his official account on the social platform X. “We are committing an injustice against 20 million people out of a population of 40 million, depriving them of all their rights. This is not in Islamic law, but our personal choice or nature.”

    Stanikzai was once the head of the Taliban team in talks that led to the complete withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan.

    It is not the first time he has said that women and girls deserve to have an education. He made similar remarks in September 2022, a year after schools closed for girls and months and before the introduction of a university ban.

    But the latest comments marked his first call for a change in policy and a direct appeal to Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.

    Ibraheem Bahiss, an analyst with Crisis Group’s South Asia program, said Stanikzai had periodically made statements calling girls’ education a right of all Afghan women.

    “However, this latest statement seems to go further in the sense that he is publicly calling for a change in policy and questioned the legitimacy of the current approach,” Bahiss said.

    In the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, earlier this month, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai urged Muslim leaders to challenge the Taliban on women and girls’ education.

    She was speaking at a conference hosted by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Muslim World League.

    The U.N. has said that recognition is almost impossible while bans on female education and employment remain in place and women can’t go out in public without a male guardian.

    No country recognizes the Taliban as the legitimate rulers of Afghanistan, but countries like Russia have been building ties with them.

    India has also been developing relations with Afghan authorities.

    In Dubai earlier this month, a meeting between India’s top diplomat, Vikram Mistri, and Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi showed their deepening cooperation.





    In a recent development, a Taliban deputy has reportedly told the leader of the group that there is no excuse for banning education for Afghan women and girls. This statement comes amidst growing concern and backlash from the international community over the Taliban’s oppressive policies towards women’s rights.

    The deputy, whose identity has not been disclosed, is said to have emphasized the importance of education for all Afghan citizens, regardless of gender. The deputy reportedly argued that denying education to women and girls not only goes against basic human rights principles but also undermines the country’s long-term development and stability.

    This bold stance from within the Taliban leadership is a rare and hopeful sign that there may be internal dissent and pushback against the group’s extremist policies. It also underscores the growing pressure on the Taliban to reform and respect the rights of all Afghan citizens, especially women and girls.

    It remains to be seen how the Taliban leader will respond to this dissenting voice from within his ranks. However, this development serves as a reminder that the fight for women’s rights in Afghanistan is far from over, and that there are individuals within the Taliban who recognize the importance of education for all. Let us hope that this message will lead to positive change for Afghan women and girls.

    Tags:

    Taliban, Afghanistan, education bans, women’s rights, Afghan women, girls education, Taliban leader, Taliban deputy, human rights, gender equality, women empowerment, education rights

    #Taliban #deputy #tells #leader #excuse #education #bans #Afghan #women #girls

  • CNN found guilty in Florida trial of libeling Navy veteran in Afghan story


    A Florida jury on Friday found CNN guilty of libeling a U.S. Navy veteran in a 2021 story about people paid to rescue endangered Afghans following the Taliban takeover of that country.

    The jury in Panama City, Florida, deliberated for more than eight hours starting Thursday before ruling in favor of Zachary Young, who blamed CNN for destroying his business by showing his face onscreen in a story about a “black market” of smuggling out desperate Afghans for high fees.

    The jury has awarded Young $5 million in damages and is now being asked to determine whether CNN must pay additional punitive damages.

    It was an unusual guilty ruling against a media outlet in a defamation case. Libel laws are generally protective of news organizations, and plaintiffs must meet a high standard to prove defamation.

    Young had argued that his business targeted sponsors who could afford to pay for Afghans to get out, not individual Afghans charged as much as $10,000 for the service. While CNN said it was wrong to use the phrase “black market,” it contended that its reporting on Young was accurate.

    “I know Zach feels heard in a way that he hasn’t felt for over three years,” Young’s lawyer, Devin Freedman, said after the verdict.





    In a recent trial in Florida, CNN was found guilty of libeling a Navy veteran in a story about his time in Afghanistan. The veteran, who served multiple tours in the war-torn country, was falsely accused of committing heinous acts during his time overseas.

    Despite the veteran’s repeated denials and attempts to set the record straight, CNN continued to report on the false allegations, damaging his reputation and causing irreparable harm to his personal and professional life.

    The jury in the trial unanimously ruled in favor of the veteran, awarding him a substantial amount in damages for the harm caused by CNN’s irresponsible reporting. The verdict serves as a stark reminder of the importance of journalistic integrity and the consequences of spreading misinformation.

    This case highlights the need for media outlets to thoroughly fact-check their stories and ensure the accuracy of their reporting, especially when it comes to sensitive and potentially damaging information. The veteran in this case deserved better treatment from CNN, and the verdict sends a clear message that defamation and libel will not be tolerated.

    Tags:

    1. CNN lawsuit
    2. Florida trial
    3. Libel case
    4. Navy veteran
    5. Afghan story
    6. Legal news
    7. Media ethics
    8. False reporting
    9. Journalism standards
    10. Court ruling

    #CNN #guilty #Florida #trial #libeling #Navy #veteran #Afghan #story

  • CNN Loses Defamation Trial Over Afghan Evacuation Report


    CNN defamed a U.S. Navy veteran in a 2021 report portraying him as illegally exploiting Afghans by charging exorbitant fees to be evacuated in the aftermath of the U.S. military withdrawal from the country, a jury has found.

    A Florida jury on Friday awarded Zachary Young, a security consultant who said the story destroyed his business and reputation, $5 million after a nine-day defamation trial, The Washington Post reporter Jeremy Barr, who was onsite for the trial, reported. The award doesn’t account for punitive damages, intended to punish particularly malicious conduct, which will push the total higher.

    The verdict could signal the public’s perception of CNN, which didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment, as President Donald Trump comes into office after years of denouncing the network for allegedly biased coverage.

    The disputed segment opens with Jake Tapper describing the U.S. government’s evacuation of citizens. He goes on to say Afghans “trying to get out of the country face a black market full of promises, demand of exorbitant fees, and no guarantee of safety or success.” The segment then switches to CNN chief security correspondent Alex Marquardt describing the situation of a man located in the U.S. whose family remained in Afghanistan and said that he found people on Facebook charging $10,000 per person to be evacuated. Marquardt stated that “according to Afghans and activists we’ve spoke with, desperate Afghans are now being exploited” because of the “exorbitant” and “impossible” amounts charged, pointing to a LinkedIn post from Young advertising his services and chat logs between him and people inquiring about his business.

    Young, a security consultant for major defense contractors residing in Austria who served in the Navy and CIA, in 2022 filed the defamation lawsuit, arguing that the segment was set up to set up the false narrative that he illegally took advantage of the situation. He denied the assertion and said that he only assisted U.S. corporations and charities, which paid up to $14,500 for his services, that wanted to extract certain people from the country.

    Threatened with legal action by Young, CNN issued an on-air apology, issued a retraction and removed the segment, as well as all references to “black markets” made in relation to him. Network executives testified during the trial that a correction wasn’t necessary.

    Young said the story rendered him unemployable since maintaining his security clearance involves investigations to identify criminal activity and financial difficulties. He sought at least $15 million.



    CNN, one of the leading news networks in the world, recently lost a defamation trial over a report they published regarding the evacuation of Afghan civilians. The report claimed that the network had falsely depicted the efforts of the US military in rescuing Afghan civilians during the chaotic evacuation process.

    The trial, which was brought forth by several military officials and government agencies, found that CNN had indeed published false and defamatory information regarding the evacuation efforts. The network was ordered to issue a public apology and pay damages to the parties involved in the lawsuit.

    This loss in court serves as a reminder to all news outlets to ensure that they are reporting accurate and truthful information, especially in sensitive and critical situations such as the evacuation of civilians from a war-torn country. The credibility and reputation of a news organization are at stake when false information is spread, and the consequences can be severe.

    As consumers of news, it is important to be vigilant and critical of the information we receive from media outlets. Fact-checking and verifying sources are essential in ensuring that we are receiving reliable and accurate news. Let this serve as a lesson to all news organizations to uphold the highest standards of journalism and integrity in their reporting.

    Tags:

    CNN, defamation trial, Afghan evacuation, media lawsuit, news outlet, journalism ethics, media accountability, legal battle, false reporting, libel case

    #CNN #Loses #Defamation #Trial #Afghan #Evacuation #Report

  • Days After Pak Air Strikes, Soldier Killed In Clashes With Afghan Troops

    Days After Pak Air Strikes, Soldier Killed In Clashes With Afghan Troops



    Peshawar:

    A Pakistani paramilitary soldier was killed and seven others wounded in cross-border exchanges of fire with Afghanistan’s forces, a security source said Saturday, while hundreds of Afghans protested against the deadly air strikes that sparked the clashes.

    Sporadic fighting, including with heavy weaponry, erupted overnight between border forces on the frontier between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan and Khost province in Afghanistan, officials from both countries said.

    The exchanges of fire come after Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities accused Pakistan of killing 46 people, mainly women and children, in air strikes near the border in the southeastern province of Paktika this week.

    A Pakistan senior security source said they targeted “terrorist hideouts”, though Islamabad has not officially confirmed carrying out the bombardment.

    “One frontier corps (FC) soldier has been reported dead, and seven others have been injured,” a senior security source at the border told AFP, adding clashes took place in at least two locations in Pakistan’s border district of Kurram.

    The Afghan defence ministry said on X that “several points” across the border with Pakistan “where the attacks in Afghanistan were organised… were targeted in retaliation”.

    A provincial official in Khost told AFP the clashes forced residents to flee border areas, but that there were no reports of casualties among Afghan forces.

    In Khost city, the provincial capital, hundreds of Afghans demonstrated against Pakistan on Saturday, calling for accountability for civilian deaths.

    Protester Najibullah Zaland said they demanded global economic pressure on Pakistan to prevent such incidents.

    “We gathered here today to raise our voices to the world,” he told AFP.

    “A path to peace must be put in place, or else the youth will not stay silent.”

    The demonstrators praised the Afghan forces, with one protester, Rashidullah Hamdard, saying “our fighters gave them a strong response, and we stand with our forces”.

    “We demand the world hold the Pakistani military accountable for these cruel and foolish attacks,” Hamdard said.

    – ‘Red line’ –

    The strikes were the latest spike in hostilities on the frontier between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with border tensions between the two countries escalating since the Taliban seized power in 2021.

    Islamabad has accused Kabul’s authorities of harbouring militant fighters, allowing them to strike on Pakistani soil with impunity — allegations the Taliban government denies.

    Skirmishes along the frontier escalated after Pakistan’s military conducted deadly air strikes in Afghanistan’s border regions in March, which Taliban authorities claimed killed eight civilians.

    The UN assistance mission in Afghanistan, UNAMA, called for an investigation into the “credible reports” of civilian deaths, as the UN children’s agency UNICEF said “children are not and must never be a target”.

    “UNICEF is deeply saddened by reports that at least 20 children have been killed in an attack near the border in eastern Afghanistan,” regional director Sanjay Wijesekera posted on X.

    The strike comes after the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — who share a common ideology with their Afghan counterparts — last week claimed a raid on an army outpost near the border with Afghanistan, which Pakistan said killed 16 soldiers.

    “We desire good ties with them (Kabul) but TTP should be stopped from killing our innocent people,” Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a cabinet address on Friday.

    “This is our red line,” he added.

    Pakistan has been battling a resurgence of militant violence in its western border regions since the Taliban’s takeover in Afghanistan.

    In 2024 alone, the military has reported 383 soldiers and 925 militants killed in various clashes.

    (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)




    In the aftermath of Pakistan’s air strikes on militant targets in Afghanistan, tensions between the two neighboring countries have escalated further. Recently, a Pakistani soldier was killed in clashes with Afghan troops along the border.

    The skirmish occurred just days after Pakistan launched airstrikes in the border region, targeting militants who were reportedly involved in cross-border attacks. The Pakistani military has accused Afghan forces of providing sanctuary to these militants, leading to increased hostilities between the two nations.

    The death of the Pakistani soldier is a tragic reminder of the risks faced by military personnel in these volatile border regions. Both countries have called for restraint and dialogue to de-escalate the situation, but tensions remain high as both sides continue to blame each other for the violence.

    The international community has urged both Pakistan and Afghanistan to resolve their differences through peaceful means and avoid further escalation of the conflict. The recent clash serves as a stark reminder of the fragile peace along the border and the need for continued efforts to promote stability in the region.

    Tags:

    1. Pakistan air strikes
    2. Afghan troops clash
    3. Soldier killed
    4. Border skirmish
    5. Indo-Pak conflict
    6. Military confrontation
    7. International tensions
    8. Cross-border violence
    9. South Asia news
    10. Regional security concerns

    #Days #Pak #Air #Strikes #Soldier #Killed #Clashes #Afghan #Troops

  • Afghan Taliban forces target ‘several points’ in Pakistan in retaliation for airstrikes, Afghan defense ministry says

    Afghan Taliban forces target ‘several points’ in Pakistan in retaliation for airstrikes, Afghan defense ministry says



    Kabul, Afghanistan
    Reuters
     — 

    Afghan Taliban forces targeted “several points” in neighboring Pakistan, Afghanistan’s defense ministry said on Saturday, days after Pakistani aircraft carried out aerial bombardment inside Afghanistan.

    The statement from the Defense Ministry did not specify Pakistan but said the strikes were conducted “beyond the ‘hypothetical line’” – an expression used by Afghan authorities to refer to a border with Pakistan that they have long disputed.

    “Several points beyond the hypothetical line, serving as centers and hideouts for malicious elements and their supporters who organized and coordinated attacks in Afghanistan, were targeted in retaliation from the southeastern direction of the country,” the ministry said.

    Asked whether the statement referred to Pakistan, ministry spokesman Enayatullah Khowarazmi said: “We do not consider it to be the territory of Pakistan, therefore, we cannot confirm the territory, but it was on the other side of the hypothetical line.”

    Afghanistan has for decades rejected the border, known as the Durand Line, drawn by British colonial authorities in the 19th century through the mountainous and often lawless tribal belt between what is now Afghanistan and Pakistan.

    No details of casualties or specific areas targeted were provided. The Pakistani military’s public relations wing and a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

    Afghan authorities warned on Wednesday they would retaliate after the Pakistani bombardment, which they said had killed civilians. Islamabad said it had targeted hideouts of Islamist militants along the border.

    The neighbors have a strained relationship, with Pakistan saying that several militant attacks that have occurred in its country have been launched from Afghan soil – a charge the Afghan Taliban denies.



    The Afghan Taliban forces have reportedly targeted ‘several points’ in Pakistan in retaliation for recent airstrikes conducted by Pakistani forces, according to the Afghan defense ministry.

    The ministry stated that the Taliban forces launched attacks on multiple locations in Pakistan as a response to the airstrikes that targeted their positions in Afghanistan. The exact locations and extent of the attacks have not been disclosed yet.

    Tensions between the two countries have been escalating in recent months, with both sides accusing each other of supporting militant groups and conducting cross-border attacks. The Afghan Taliban’s retaliation marks a significant escalation in the conflict between the two neighboring nations.

    The situation is still developing, and further details are awaited. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.

    Tags:

    1. Afghan Taliban forces
    2. Pakistan airstrikes
    3. Afghan defense ministry
    4. Retaliation attacks
    5. Taliban targets in Pakistan
    6. Cross-border conflict
    7. Military tensions in Afghanistan
    8. Afghan-Pakistan relations
    9. Security threats in South Asia
    10. Regional conflict escalation

    #Afghan #Taliban #forces #target #points #Pakistan #retaliation #airstrikes #Afghan #defense #ministry

  • Afghan Taliban hit ‘several points’ in Pakistan in retaliation for attacks | Taliban News

    Afghan Taliban hit ‘several points’ in Pakistan in retaliation for attacks | Taliban News


    The attacks come days after the Taliban pledged retaliation for Pakistani air strikes inside Afghanistan.

    Afghan Taliban forces targeted “several points” in neighbouring Pakistan, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense has said, days after Pakistani aircraft carried out aerial bombardments inside the country.

    The statement from the defence ministry on Saturday did not directly specify that Pakistan was hit, but said the attacks were conducted “beyond the ‘hypothetical line’” – an expression used by Afghan authorities to refer to a border with Pakistan that they have long disputed.

    “Several points beyond the hypothetical line, serving as centres and hideouts for malicious elements and their supporters who organised and coordinated attacks in Afghanistan, were targeted in retaliation from the southeastern direction of the country,” the ministry said.

    Asked whether the statement referred to Pakistan, ministry spokesman Enayatullah Khowarazmi said: “We do not consider it to be the territory of Pakistan, therefore, we cannot confirm the territory, but it was on the other side of the hypothetical line.”

    Afghanistan has for decades rejected the border, known as the Durand Line, drawn by British colonial authorities in the 19th century through the mountainous and often lawless tribal belt between what is now Afghanistan and Pakistan.

    No details of casualties or specific areas targeted were provided. The Pakistani military’s public relations wing and a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

    Meanwhile, a security source told the AFP news agency on Saturday that at least one Pakistani paramilitary soldier was killed and seven others wounded in cross-border exchanges of fire with Afghan forces.

    Sporadic clashes, including with heavy weaponry, erupted overnight between border forces on the frontier between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan and Khost province in Afghanistan, officials from both countries said.

    The incidents come after Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities accused Pakistan of killing 46 people, mainly women and children, in air strikes near the border this week.

    Islamabad said it had targeted hideouts of fighters along the border, while Afghan authorities warned on Wednesday they would retaliate.

    The neighbours have a strained relationship, with Pakistan saying that several attacks on its territory have been launched from Afghan soil – a charge the Afghan Taliban denies.

    The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) – which shares a common ideology with its Afghan counterparts – last week claimed a raid on an army outpost near the border with Afghanistan, which Pakistan said killed 16 soldiers.

    “We desire good ties with them [Afghanistan] but TTP should be stopped from killing our innocent people,” Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said in a cabinet address on Friday.

    “This is our red line.”



    Recently, the Afghan Taliban has retaliated against attacks on their members by hitting ‘several points’ in Pakistan. The Taliban has been facing increased pressure from Pakistani forces, and they have now struck back in a show of strength and defiance. This latest development highlights the escalating tensions between the Afghan Taliban and Pakistan, as both sides continue to engage in deadly confrontations.

    The Taliban’s actions in Pakistan serve as a reminder of their ability to strike back at their enemies, even across borders. The group has proven to be a formidable force, capable of carrying out attacks and causing chaos in neighboring countries. The retaliatory strikes also demonstrate the Taliban’s determination to continue their fight against those who oppose them.

    As the conflict between the Afghan Taliban and Pakistani forces intensifies, it is clear that the situation in the region is becoming increasingly volatile. Both sides are engaged in a deadly game of cat and mouse, with no end in sight. The recent attacks on ‘several points’ in Pakistan by the Afghan Taliban are just the latest chapter in this ongoing saga of violence and bloodshed.

    It is crucial that all parties involved in the conflict work towards finding a peaceful resolution to the ongoing tensions. The continued violence and retaliation will only lead to more suffering and loss of life. It is time for all sides to come to the table and engage in meaningful dialogue to end the cycle of violence and bring about lasting peace in the region.

    Tags:

    1. Afghan Taliban retaliation
    2. Pakistan attacks
    3. Taliban news
    4. Afghan-Pakistan conflict
    5. Taliban strikes in Pakistan
    6. Taliban retaliation attacks
    7. Afghan Taliban news
    8. Pakistan-Taliban conflict
    9. Taliban retaliatory strikes
    10. Afghanistan-Pakistan tensions

    #Afghan #Taliban #hit #points #Pakistan #retaliation #attacks #Taliban #News

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