The Afghan national security forces were put on alert amid reports Pakistani helicopters are helping the Taliban militants by supplying weapons in eastern Paktika province.
Deputy spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, Dawlat Waziri, told reporters on Monday that the Afghan forces have been instructed to use all force to react and stop Pakistani helicopters to assist the Taliban militants.The remarks by Waziri were followed after reports emerged that the Pakistani helicopters are dropping weapons to Taliban in Barmal district.
This comes as tensions have intensified across the Durand Line following a brief clash between the Afghan security forces with the Pakistani troops in Paktika province last week.At least eight Pakistani security personnel were reportedly killed after the Afghan forces responded to their provocative action of building military installations within the Afghan soil.A member of the Afghan national security forces also lost his life during the gun battle with the Pakistani troops.
The Afghan government officials have long been criticizing Pakistan, specifically the country’s military intelligence – Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) for supporting the Taliban-led insurgency in Afghanistan.The National Directorate of Security (NDS) – Afghanistan’s intelligence agency said last month that the attack on Parliament building in Kabul was orchestrated in Peshawar city, provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan.
NDS officials said the attack was carried out by Haqqani terrorist network with the support of ISI which left five people killed and 30 others wounded.