In a first since the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan last year, Islamabad has issued a strong statement condemning the usage of Afghan soil by terrorists for activities against Pakistan, hours after TTP militants killed five Pakistan soldiers in an attack Islamabad said originated from within Afghanistan. 

The incident happened in Kurram tribal agency in the northwest part of the country, the Pakistan military confirmed, saying that terrorists were firing from bordering Khost province in Afghanistan. The cross-border firing started from Saturday evening and continued till Sunday, media reports said. 

Condemning the “use of Afghan soil by terrorists for activities against Pakistan”, the media wing of the Pakistan military ISPR, said that they expected the Afghan government not to allow such activities in the future.

The attack, which came a week after Pakistan National Security Advisor Moeed Yusuf visited Afghanistan, was claimed by the TTP on Sunday.  

The security environment has been deteriorating rapidly in Pakistan since the Taliban’s return in neighboring Afghanistan. Around 18 security forces members were killed in different attacks in the last week alone. 

In less than three weeks, around 27 soldiers were killed in attacks by both Baloch and TTP insurgents.  

Meanwhile, the Taliban government in Afghanistan denied that the firing was started from within its country.  

"We assure other countries, especially our neighbors, that no one will be allowed to use Afghan land against them," Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman for Afghanistan’s Taliban government, was quoted as saying by Reuters.

Last week, the UN Analytical and Sanction Monitoring Team, in its latest report, said close to 5000 members of TTP are resident in Afghanistan.

US Central Command Chief General Kenneth McKenzie had also warned that terrorists are now focusing more on Pakistan since the departure of the US troops from Afghanistan. 

The frequency as well as the scale of the attacks by Baloch insurgents have also grown to an extent not witnessed in recent history. In the last attack in the Panjgur district, Pakistan security forces battled the militants for almost three days, 72 hours. 

According to local media reports, which cited police and paramilitary officials, morale among Pakistani forces in the violence-hit area is also running low, as security forces continue to suffer big casualties. 
 
(SAM)