Taliban Warns Pakistan Over Ongoing Tensions
Amid continuing tensions in recent months between Kabul and Islamabad, a Taliban official has warned Pakistan of a “crushing” response if what he called “aggression” continues, while also saying Afghanistan will not fall under the influence of any country.
Abdul Latif Mansoor, acting minister for rural rehabilitation and development in the Taliban administration, said at an event in Paktia province on Tuesday that Afghanistan seeks engagement with Pakistan, but will not accept the “domination” of any country. He added that the people of Afghanistan have never submitted to the influence of foreign powers throughout history.
Referring to Afghanistan’s past wars against the former Soviet Union and the United States, Mansoor told Pakistan that a country that has stood up to major powers will also not accept dependency on other countries. He also said: “We are grateful for support in jihad, but do not expect us to be slaves. We did not accept slavery to Russia and America.”
Without naming a specific country, the Taliban official accused some countries of not wanting security and development in Afghanistan and of trying to block the country’s progress.
The remarks come as relations between the Taliban administration and Pakistan have become increasingly strained in recent months. Islamabad accuses the Taliban administration of allowing Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to operate from Afghan soil, but the Taliban administration has denied the allegation.
Taliban officials have also repeatedly accused Pakistan of supporting داعش, or Islamic State, in Afghanistan. Paktia is one of Afghanistan’s southeastern provinces, close to Pakistan’s border areas, and security and political developments there are often linked to relations between the two sides.
