Pakistan, Afghan Taliban trade blame for cross-border violence as tensions rise

Washington — Editor's note: this story was translated from the original VOA Dari article.

Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban continue to trade accusations amid recent border clashes and Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan.

Speaking at a think tank in Islamabad on Monday, Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar warned the Taliban in Afghanistan not to support the militants who launch attacks inside Pakistan.

The Taliban’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, in a post on X, rejected Pakistan’s accusations, saying that Pakistan is “blaming Afghanistan for its own failures,” and that Pakistani officials were using ‘propaganda' instead of finding solutions.

Pakistan rejected the Taliban’s statement, however, insisting that any negotiations would require the Taliban to act against Pakistani militants operating from Afghanistan.

Pakistan accuses the Taliban of sheltering Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, which has taken responsibility for attacks inside Pakistan.

The Taliban publicly deny harboring any militant group, but a U.N. report, released in August, said that the Taliban continue to support TTP.

Airstrikes in Afghanistan

In response, Pakistan launched multiple airstrikes inside Afghanistan, which the Taliban said struck civilians.

The Taliban and the U.N. said airstrikes in the eastern province of Kunar and the southern province of Helmand on October 1 killed at least 10 people and injured 10 others.

The United Nations Mission in Afghanistan said in September that it had documented more than 1,100 civilian deaths and injuries from cross-border attacks in Afghanistan.

The Taliban retaliated by launching attacks on Pakistani border posts, escalating clashes between the two sides.

The U.N. said that the Pakistani Taliban’s attacks inside Pakistan have increased.

Pakistan has said that more than 3,000 people have been killed in 2,800 militant attacks since January.

Amid rising violence, Pakistan also is facing political tensions.

Pakistan political tensions

On Sunday, Pakistan imposed emergency rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, suspending the provincial government led by the party of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Authorities detained Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, the top elected official in the province and several cabinet members. The federal government accused the provincial administration of colluding with militants of TTP.

Ghaus Janbaz, a former Afghan diplomat, told VOA that suspending the KP provincial government would not ease the crisis but would further escalate it, as there already is tension between the province and the federal government.

International reaction

A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department told VOA Afghan in an email that “it is aware of the reports.”

“We expect that local authorities will act in accordance with Pakistani law as they seek to maintain order,” the State Department.

Amnesty International condemned the declaration of emergency in KP.

Babu Ram Pant, Amnesty International’s deputy director for South Asia, said the action “raised concerns about the proportionality of these emergency measures.”

“Pakistani authorities must avoid using military personnel for ordinary policing tasks and ensure that military forces remain accountable and comply with international human rights law and standards,” Amnesty International said in a statement released Monday.