Islamabad — Pakistan’s president on Saturday warned the Taliban government in neighboring Afghanistan that Pakistan had “crossed a red line” by launching drone strikes on civilian areas and that the regime in Kabul had brought “serious consequences for itself”.
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari’s remarks came amid an even deadlier fight between the two neighbours. The cross-border clashes, which erupted late last month, show no signs of abating despite efforts by China and Turkey to broker a ceasefire.
Pakistan said its forces intercepted the drones launched on Friday but falling debris injured two children in the city of Quetta and two others elsewhere in the country.
On Friday, the Afghan Taliban government accused Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes in the country’s capital, Kabul, and other areas in eastern Afghanistan, saying at least six civilians had been killed and 15 others wounded.
Hours later, Kabul responded by targeting military installations near Pakistan’s capital Islamabad and northwest Pakistan with its air force.
Pakistan has denied targeting civilians, saying its operations are focused on Pakistani Taliban militants and their support networks. Islamabad has referred to the conflict as an “open war” – adding to concerns in the international community about regional stability as the US-Israeli war with Iran spills over into the Middle East and beyond.
Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said Pakistani planes also attacked fuel depots belonging to private airline Com Air near the airport in the southern city of Kandahar, which supplies civilian and UN aircraft.
Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban government of harboring Pakistani militant groups — mainly the Pakistani Taliban — that cross the porous, volatile border between the two countries to carry out attacks against Pakistani forces and allied with its archrival India. Kabul denies harboring extremist groups.
On Friday, a roadside bomb targeting Pakistani police killed seven officers in the northwestern district of Lucky Mawat.
Zardari lashed out at the government in Kabul.
“While the Afghan terrorist regime is trying to negotiate with our friendly countries, it has crossed a red line by trying to target our citizens,” he said.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday urged a peaceful resolution to the Afghanistan-Pakistan dispute, warning that the use of force would escalate tensions and threaten regional stability. His remarks were reported by China’s official Xinhua news agency on Saturday, which said Wang spoke with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaki.
Wang said China’s special envoy has been shuttling between the two countries in an effort to promote restraint and promote a ceasefire. Muttaki, who said Afghanistan wants regional peace and does not want military conflict, said talks remained the only solution and urged China to play a greater role.
A Qatari-brokered ceasefire in October eased tensions, but subsequent talks in Turkey failed to produce a lasting deal.
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Kahar reports from Kabul, Afghanistan. Associated Press writer Kanis Leung in Hong Kong contributed to this report.
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