ISLAMABAD: The United States supports Pakistan’s right to defend itself against terrorist attacks, the State Department said on Friday, as tensions continue between Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan.
“The Pakistani people have suffered greatly at the hands of terrorists,” a State Department spokesperson said, reaffirming Washington’s support for Pakistan’s efforts to counter terrorism.
The statement comes amid renewed cross-border tensions between the two neighbors.
Pakistan and Afghanistan exchanged some of their heaviest cross-border fire in years earlier this year. The latest escalation followed Pakistani strikes targeting what Islamabad said were militant hideouts inside Afghanistan.
The United Nations said at least 28 civilians were killed and 49 others injured in airstrikes carried out by Pakistan along the Afghan border.
The Taliban administration in Afghanistan later said it had conducted retaliatory strikes inside Pakistani territory. Pakistan, meanwhile, said its security forces intercepted and shot down four rudimentary drones in Balochistan.
Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have deteriorated sharply over the past two years, with Pakistan accusing the Afghan Taliban of providing safe haven to militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan. The Taliban government has repeatedly denied the allegations.
Pakistan, a nuclear-armed nation with one of the region’s largest militaries, has significantly greater conventional military capabilities than Afghanistan. However, the Afghan Taliban remain experienced in guerrilla warfare after decades of conflict against U.S.-led forces before returning to power following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
Pakistan is a major non-NATO ally of the United States, and bilateral relations have strengthened since President Donald Trump returned to office. Islamabad has also played a diplomatic role in regional efforts aimed at easing tensions following the recent U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.
Also Read: Pakistan Issues Demarche to Afghanistan Over Karachi Terror Attack
The United States continues to designate the Afghan Taliban as a terrorist organization, while urging efforts to address security concerns and maintain regional stability.
