Pakistan responds to unprovoked firing from Afghan posts along border in Lower South Waziristan: DC

Why This Matters

Key context: <p>Pakistani security forces have responded to unprovoked firing from the Afghan border posts, the deputy commissioner of Lower South Waziristan district said on Sunday.</p> <p>In a post on X, the DC’s official account said, “Unprovoked firing from Afghan border posts onto Pakistani border checkpoints continues.”</p> <p>It added that Pakistani security forces responded immediately and effectively, targeting “multiple Afghan border posts, mortar positions, and defensive checkpoints”.</p> <p>“The Afghan Taliban were forced to abandon their posts and flee in response to the Pakistani forces’ strong response,” the post read.</p> <p>It further said no reports of any casualties have emerged from the border areas on the Pakistani side.</p> <p>“Pakistani forces remain prepared to deliver a full response to any kind of aggression,” the deputy commissioner affirmed.</p> <p>The military’s media affairs wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), is yet to comment on the development.</p> <figure class='media w-full w-full media-- media--embed media--uneven media--tweet' data-original-src='https://x.com/dcswlower/status/2116882516439347369?s=48'> <div class='media__item media__item--twitter '><span> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"> <a href="https://twitter.com/dcswlower/status/2116882516439347369?s=48"></a> </blockquote> </span></div> </figure> <p>The fresh exchange of fire follows Friday’s skirmishes, when Pakistan’s armed forces <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2040969/pakistan-army-destroys-afghan-taliban-posts-in-response-to-firing-at-angoor-adda-state-media">responded</a> to unprovoked firing from the other side, state media reported, citing security sources. As a result, several Afghan Taliban posts in areas adjacent to South Waziristan and Parachinar were destroyed.</p> <p>The Afghan forces had also opened fire along the Angoor Adda border area on Tuesday, which <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2040360/one-killed-five-injured-by-afghan-firing-near-angoor-adda">claimed</a> the life of one local and injured a family of five.</p> <p>Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi had <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2040416/have-no-illusions-kundi-tells-afghan-taliban-pakistan-will-not-tolerate-attacks-after-angoor-adda-firing"><u>condemned</u></a> the firing, asserting that Pakistan would “never tolerate” attacks on its people or violations of its sovereignty.</p> <p>Pakistan had also <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2040481"><u>dismissed</u></a> a statement by Afghanistan’s defence ministry regarding the incident that claimed that Pakistan was the aggressor, terming it a “fabrication of lies”.</p> <figure class='media w-full sm:w-1/2 media--right media--embed media--uneven' data-original-src='https://www.dawn.com/news/2041358/us-hears-pakistans-concerns-over-terrorism-from-afghanistan-would-play-productive-role-if-there-is-one-rubio'> <div class='media__item media__item--newskitlink '> <iframe class="nk-iframe" width="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="height:250px;position:relative" src="https://www.dawn.com/news/card/2041358" sandbox="allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms"></iframe></div> </figure> <p>Amid the heightened tensions, United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday said that Washington has <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/2041358/us-hears-pakistans-concerns-over-terrorism-from-afghanistan-would-play-productive-role-if-there-is-one-rubio">“heard” Pakistan’s concerns</a> about terrorism emanating from Afghanistan and if “there’s a productive role for us to play, we would play it”.</p> <p>Asked about the conflict between the neighbouring countries, Rubio said, “We’ve heard the concerns that Pakistan has raised and we’ve seen some of those attacks that they point to. We’re against terrorism no matter where it emanates from and who it targets.”</p> <hr /> <p><em>More to follow</em></p> This development from dawn.com highlights ongoing changes in the sector.