ASADABAD, AFGHANISTAN: Afghan security forces have launched an operation against militants in an eastern province seen as a rear base for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which carried out a school massacre last week, officials said Monday.
Army chief General Raheel Sharif met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul in the aftermath of the school attack in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, which killed 149 people, mainly children.
sought Ghani's support in defeating the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
TTP leader Mullah Fazlullah is believed to be hiding in Afghanistan's Kunar province, which borders Pakistan's restive tribal areas.
Kunar has been the scene of fierce fighting between local forces and the Afghan Taliban for the past 10 days.
"Afghan security forces have launched joint anti-militant operations in several parts of Dangam district of Kunar province," Dawlat Waziri, deputy defence ministry spokesman, told AFP.
"So far in the operation, 21 armed insurgents have been killed and 33 others wounded," Waziri said, adding that seven security personnel were wounded.
Kunar governor Shujaul Mulk Jalala said more than 1,500 Afghan Taliban fighters attacked remote villages in Dangam.
Jalala said Pakistani Taliban and Lashkar-e-Taiba militants were also battling Afghan security forces in Dangam.
Pakistan has repeatedly asked Afghanistan to capture and hand over Fazlullah.
Each nation has long accused the other of allowing militants to shelter in the border region and launch bloody attacks that threaten regional stability.
The Afghan Taliban have stepped up their attacks as NATO wraps up its combat operations, which end on December 31.
A follow-up mission of about 12,500 US-led NATO troops will stay on to train and support Afghan security forces.
COMMENTS (23)
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@افغان ميهن: So by Afghan Economics, bribery is a key factor. If someone doesn't take bribe, then he cannot make both ends meet? Well, this speaks volumes of your Karzai government attitude who you seem to admire so much. And since when did Hayatabad become the financial capital of KPK?. It may be the epicenter of drugs but we would be so glad if it does really turn into a ghost town.
@افغان ميهن: Do you want to clean AFGH land from terrorists or not? It's a golden opportunity Afgh & their not-so-friendly friends should be waiting for, no? Please think of Afgh poor masses and give them a chance for future. Take your proxy war somewhere else. It's over now! The Sun is Rising on Afghan Soil! Why you crying on this beautiful morning?
@افغان ميهن: So you think Pakistan (or KPK) runs on Afghan refugees? Then you Afghans have a golden opportunity to hurt Pakistan big time. Leave and dry up our so-called income source. Please. We are willing to fund the one-way fare too.
@ Straightshooter
Pakistan receives money from the UNHCR and other organizations to assist Afghan refugees and those refugees contribute to the local economy. On the contrary, Hayatabad will turn in to a ghost town once Afghan refugees leave and it will impact your economy negatively. Your police won't have their daily bribe quotas from the Afghans, which will impact their livelihoods. Its a lose lose situation for KPK.
@Riyadh Babin:
There seems to be no talk about handing over the terrorists that affect Afghanistan. Pakistani establishment, just want others to help them in fight against TTP while it continues to provide safe heaven for the rest of the terrorist groups.
It seems that most of the Pakistani people seems to only care about eradication of TTP. There is no uproar about the complete silence on other terrorist groups.
Isn't I time Pakistan return the favour by taking action against Haqanies, and handing over Quetta Shura including Mullah Omer?
Smart step by them. The refugee eviction notice brought them to their senses I guess. No developing nation wants a sudden influx of 2 million hungry mouths, even if their own.Wait till 2 weeks tops. They will 'advise' us to reconsider that notice.
@objective observer: thanks for the english lesson.
@ Liberal
It goes both ways. Afghans cannot trust Pakistan to abandon their strategic assets, we'll just have to wait and see how sincere each is towards the other.
@ Byebye!
Karzai lives in Afghanistan not in India. You are confusing him with NS, AAZ, Altaf Hussain and Pervez Musharraf who are all known to have million dollar homes abroad. Furthermore, Afghans have proven their mettle to the best of the best, we just need Pakistan to be sincere in eliminating terrorist sanctuaries and to stop patronizing the so called good Taliban.
All will be well when the likes of Mullah Diesel, Imran Khan, Muawiya and others of their ilk stop calling for jehad in Afghanistan and concentrate on waging jehad against terrorists that have turned against you now. Clean your house of the toxic filth that spills over in to Afghanistan, India, Iran and China.
@Khan Gul: No melodrama please. Its a notice, not an ultimatum. You want to stay forever, mate?
We listened to the cries of children and their mothers in Peshawar. Now let's see what actions does Pakistan take against Quetta shura and Haqqani butchers who kill innocents and destroy the infrastructure on daily basis in the name of Islam and Shariat. Another chance for Pakistan to show its sincerity.
@Shakil: Maybe you should start by not calling them Afghanis. That is their currency. They are called Afghans.
Lets see how sincerely they do this. I have my doubts. As will every Pakistani given the track record of Afghanistan vis-à-vis Pakistan.
It is easy to blame Pakistan for all ills. Pakistan has always been the favourite "whipping boy" of the West and now it seems the rest of the world has jumped on the bandwagon.
STOP ! THINK ! is Pakistan alone to blame for what has happened in the region? Did other states not play their dirty games in the region (these dirty games won't stop just yet)? Did they not have their own vested interests legal and illegal transposing that of Pakistan's? Was there suicide-bombing in Pakistan before American invasion? Did Pakistan alone create Mujahidin (now Taliban)? Was the world and US not happy to exchange commercial contracts for energy with the Taliban government (before US invasion)?
What suddenly changed? Why did it change? Who super-imposed their interests on Pakistan's? Did Pakistan have any choice?....and so the questions must go on and on.....until we get to the truth. I requires deep thinking
Our "jousrnalists" our "media" is capable of deep introspection. Their views are coloured by Khaki (army) vs black and white (politician's favourite uniform, black waistcoat and white shalwarkameez).
It you and me, the ordinary masses who need to stop relying heavily on what is churned the media to form our opinions on Pakistan. We need independent thinking. The media have to change. The world will change for us when we assert ourselves. We must, for the sake of our next generations.
Good. Thank you neighbour. Together we can make their life difficult, Inshallah.
When you have a good neighbor and you also are good, good things would happen and Peace shall prevail.
@Peace: Sorry Sir, but it's the absence of Karzai & humanity in PM Ashraf Ghani & Abdullah that this... long delayed action is being taken now. Credit goes to the Current Afghan Govt, who is not into-bombing Pak border posts to cover their TTP insurgent who were crossing border. Long live Pak-Afgh brotherhood.
Time after time terrorists have shown that they are capable of orchestrating deadly attacks on both sides of the Af/Pak borders. We have come a long way in our shared fight against terrorism, and it remains imperative for us to stand united in order to negate the growing threat of terrorism. The terrorists have been taking advantage of the long and rugged mountainous border between Afghanistan and Pakistan to orchestrate their terrorist activities in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The common threat of terrorism that lies on both sides of the border requires shared coordination and assistance between the regional partners. These efforts to uproot the terrorist elements from near the common border serve in the best interests of Afghanistan and Pakistan, and we remain fully optimistic in regards to seeing peace prevail throughout the region.
Ali Khan Digital Engagement Team, USCENTCOM
Insha Allah both countries will be saved from the brutaliy and killings of the Taliban. But they have to work together. Taliban is a common enemy for Pakistanies and Afghanies.
And you are giving Afghanistan refugees an ultimatum to go back within 1 month.
The spirit of humanity is well alive in Afghans. However it is also sad that it took Pakistan 8 years of seeing innocent lives take on its land to launch an offensive, while our Afghan brothers, feeling the pain of their neighbours acted in less than 10 days.
A Sad Day for Indian Agents & agencies along Pak border. Hopefully Karzai stay in his palace in India. Let's see the Metal the Afgh are made off. Hopefully they can protect their soil from TTP insurgents. TTP sanctuaries in Punjab already under fumigation & extermination. After this only Lal Masjid will be the last to clean.