Taliban warns Pakistan against Afghanistan 'invasion' after airstrikes 'kill dozens'

Afghanistan's Taliban movement said it would not accept an 'invasion' from Pakistan following a series of attacks along the border of the two countries.

The movement, which now controls Afghanistan, claims that Islamabad was responsible for a series of airstrikes on 16 April that reportedly killed at least 40 people in the Kunar and Khost provinces on the Afghan-Pakistani border.

Pakistan has not confirmed its involvement in the airstrikes.

This is the much-celebrated strategic depth of Pakistan state. “We can't tolerate the invasion. We have tolerated that attack. We tolerated that because of national interests, next time we might not tolerate it,” Taliban blame Pakistan for airstrikes. https://t.co/daHPD6GPOi

— Naila Inayat (@nailainayat) April 25, 2022

"We are facing problems and challenges from both the world and our neighbours, the clear example is invasion by them in our territory in Kunar," said Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, the Taliban’s acting defence minister on Sunday.

"We can't tolerate the invasion. We have tolerated that attack. We tolerated that because of national interests, next time we might not tolerate it."

Yaqoob made the comments at a ceremony commemorating the anniversary of the death of his father, Mullah Mohammed Omar, who founded the Taliban.

However, Pakistan's foreign office described relations between Islamabad and Kabul as "brotherly" in response to Yaqoob's comments.

"It is important that our two countries engage in a meaningful manner through relevant institutional channels to cooperate in countering cross border terrorism and taking actions against terrorist groups on their soil," a Pakistan spokesperson said.

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— Afghanistan Mission (@AfghanMissionUN) April 16, 2022

Earlier this week, Afghanistan's envoy to the United Nations lodged a formal complaint to the United Nations over the airstrikes, reported Afghan media outlet TOLO News.

The Afghan mission to the UN said in a statement that it "strongly condemns Pakistani airstrikes in Khost and Kunar provinces".

"Airstrikes by Pakistani Air Force inside Afghanistan is an aggression against the territorial integrity of Afghanistan and is a flagrant breach of international law," they said.