Pakistan airdrops arms to Taliban: Afghan official
A senior Afghan official has accused Pakistani helicopters of airdropping weapons to the Taliban militants in the troubled southeastern part of Afghanistan.
Dawlat Waziri, the deputy spokesman for the Afghan Defense Ministry, said on Monday that Afghan forces have been instructed to use all means to stop the Pakistani military choppers to assist the militants in the eastern province of Paktika.
The remarks come after reports emerged that the Pakistani helicopters were dropping weapons to Taliban in the Barmal district of the province.
Pakistan has yet to comment on the incident.
Last week, fierce clashes erupted between Afghan security forces and Pakistani troops in a remote border region. The fighting came after Afghanistan accused Pakistan of building a military installation on the Afghan soil.
Tensions have risen along the Afghan-Pakistani border in recent months.
Kabul blames elements inside the Pakistani spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) for supporting the Taliban militants, while Islamabad blames the Afghan government for giving refuge to militants on its side of the border.
In addition, ties between Kabul and Islamabad have been strained, especially over the delicate issue of demarcation of the border, which is a key battleground in the fight against the Taliban.
Islamabad recognizes the Durand Line, the 1893 British-mandated border between the two neighbors, but Kabul says activity by either side along the Line must be approved by both countries.
Successive governments in Afghanistan have never recognized the British-drawn colonial era border line with Pakistan.
JR/HSN/HMV
UN envoy: ‘Afghanistan crisis putting strain on Iran’s resources’
Afghan Taliban's minister for refugees killed in Kabul
Russia decides 'at highest level' to remove Taliban from list of terrorists
Yemeni army strikes Israeli military sites with drones
‘Clock ticking’: UNRWA slams unjustifiable killing of children in Gaza
BP to be sued in Britain for supplying oil to Israel
VIDEO | Press TV's news headlines
Israeli strikes on north Gaza hospital ‘extremely dangerous, terrifying’: Director
VIDEO | Yemen targets Tel Aviv with Palestine 2 missiles
Pezeshkian: Iran resolved to complete North-South Transport Corridor
VIDEO | Iran-Syria: For Resistance
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
