Security forces respond to unprovoked firing by Afghan Taliban along Kurram border: state media

Security forces have responded to unprovoked firing by Afghan Taliban forces along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Upper Kurram, state broadcaster PTV News reported on Saturday. PTV News and state-run Associated Press of Pakistan ( APP ), which cited security sources, said the Afghan Taliban forces opened fire to “facilitate terrorists” along the border in Taldah sector of Upper Kurram. The army responded using heavy weapons, destroying several Afghan Taliban posts and forcing their personnel to flee from there, PTV News reported. Meanwhile, APP quoted security sources as saying that several personnel of the Afghan Taliban were “reportedly killed during the Pakistan Army’s retaliatory action along the Ghuzgarhi border”.

The sources further said that in the Upper Kurram sector, the army targeted the Afghan Taliban’s Topsar post and Shipola base camp with artillery fire, reportedly completely destroying the latter. The exchange of fire was still ongoing in the area, APP quoted security sources as saying. The border skirmishes come a day after the Foreign Office (FO) said that talks with Afghanistan could not be unconditional, but also rejected suggestions that Islamabad was unwilling to engage with its neighbour and said it would welcome sincere efforts by friendly countries to help resolve the dispute. “Pakistan is not shying away from discussions or dialogue, including with representatives of Afghanistan. Pakistan would welcome any sincere efforts by friendly countries that could help address our legitimate security concerns and promoting regional peace and stability,” FO spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan said at the weekly media briefing. The statement came after Russia recently renewed its readiness to mediate between the two countries, although…