Balochistan caretaker Information Minister Jan Achakzai on Wednesday (Dec 13) posted on X and subsequently deleted a series of proposed actions in response to a deadly terror attack on a military camp.&nbsp;Achakzai suggested that Pakistan should offer "drone bases to target militant sanctuaries in Afghanistan".&nbsp;

Achakzai said “special targeted operations, air strikes, border closure with Afghanistan, return of Afghan refugees, anti-TTP&nbsp;political opposition gathering in Islamabad” must be considered.

“Last, offer US drone bases to target [Al Qaeda] and other militants sanctuaries in Afghanistan,” he wrote in the now-deleted post on X.

The US drone bases in Pakistan have remained a controversial topic for a long time. Washington has routinely used these bases to eliminate targets in Afghanistan. Former al-Qaida chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, sitting in Kabul was also killed in July 2022 by the US drone strikes.&nbsp;

The Shamsi airbase in Balochistan is one of the most well-known bases that the US utilised&nbsp;to target non-state actors. However, after a NATO strike in 2011 in Salala which claimed the lives of two dozen Pakistani soldiers, the US was asked to vacate the base.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-has-pakistan-become-a-suicide-state-546188" target="_blank">WATCH | Gravitas: Has Pakistan become a 'suicide state'?</a>

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<h2>General Munir's US visit</h2>

The suggestion by&nbsp;Achakzai comes in the backdrop of Pakistan Army chief&nbsp;General Asim Munir's visit to Washington. Munir is attempting to convince US security officials that the rise of&nbsp;Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamic State's Khorasan offshoot (IS-K) pose a significant threat not only to Islamabad but to the US as well.&nbsp;

According to a brief statement released by the Pentagon, Munir met&nbsp;Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Wednesday and discussed "recent regional security developments and potential areas for bilateral defence cooperation".&nbsp;

TTP, once considered an ally by the Pakistani government, has fashioned itself on the lines of the Afghan Taliban. Last year, the militant outfit announced it was calling off a ceasefire agreed upon with the Pakistani government. Since then, a series of terror attacks have killed a number of civilians as well as military personnel.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/troubled-by-home-grown-monster-ttp-pakistan-govt-mulls-military-offensive-reports-546449">Also read |&nbsp;Troubled by home-grown monster TTP, Pakistan govt mulls military offensive: Reports</a>

On Tuesday, at least 23 Pakistani soldiers were killed while dozens were injured after a&nbsp;&nbsp;vehicle containing explosives rammed into a building in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the Afghan border.

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Pakistan later released a detailed statement, which said a counter-operation led by the army resulted in the death of 27 terrorists.

"An intelligence-based operation was conducted in general area Darazinda on the reported presence of terrorists. During the conduct of operation, terrorists' hideout was busted and seventeen terrorists were sent to hell," the ISPR said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Balochistan caretaker Information Minister Jan Achakzai on Wednesday (Dec 13) posted on X and subsequently deleted a series of proposed actions in response to a deadly terror attack on a military camp.

Balochistan caretaker Information Minister Jan Achakzai on Wednesday (Dec 13) posted on X and subsequently deleted a series of proposed actions in response to a deadly terror attack on a military camp. Achakzai suggested that Pakistan should offer "drone bases to target militant sanctuaries in Afghanistan". Achakzai said “special targeted operations, air strikes, border closure with Afghanistan, return of Afghan refugees, anti-TTP political opposition gathering in Islamabad” must be considered. “Last, offer US drone bases to target [Al Qaeda] and other militants sanctuaries in Afghanistan,” he wrote in the now-deleted post on X. The US drone bases in Pakistan have remained a controversial topic for a long time. Washington has routinely used these bases to eliminate targets in Afghanistan. Former al-Qaida chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, sitting in Kabul was also killed in July 2022 by the US drone strikes. The Shamsi airbase in Balochistan is one of the most well-known bases that the US utilised to target non-state actors. However, after a NATO strike in 2011 in Salala which claimed the lives of two dozen Pakistani soldiers, the US was asked to vacate the base. WATCH | Gravitas: Has Pakistan become a 'suicide state'? General Munir's US visit The suggestion by Achakzai comes in the backdrop of Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir's visit to Washington. Munir is attempting to convince US security officials that the rise of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamic State's Khorasan offshoot (IS-K) pose a significant threat not only to Islamabad but to the US as well. According to a brief statement released by the Pentagon, Munir met Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on Wednesday and discussed "recent regional security developments and potential areas for bilateral defence cooperation". TTP, once considered an ally by the Pakistani government, has fashioned itself on the lines of the Afghan Taliban. Last year, the militant outfit announced it was calling off a ceasefire agreed upon with the Pakistani government. Since then, a series of terror attacks have killed a number of civilians as well as military personnel. Also read | Troubled by home-grown monster TTP, Pakistan govt mulls military offensive: Reports On Tuesday, at least 23 Pakistani soldiers were killed while dozens were injured after a vehicle containing explosives rammed into a building in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the Afghan border. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Pakistan later released a detailed statement, which said a counter-operation led by the army resulted in the death of 27 terrorists. "An intelligence-based operation was conducted in general area Darazinda on the reported presence of terrorists. During the conduct of operation, terrorists' hideout was busted and seventeen terrorists were sent to hell," the ISPR said. (With inputs from agencies)

Will Pakistan offer drone bases to US to target terror outfits?

A senior media member of Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), the Afghanistan branch of the Middle East-nased Islamist organisation, has been killed, the US military said.

The Hill reported that a June 3 air strike in Achin, Nangarhar province, killed Jawad Khan, the senior director of ISIS-K media production, and destroyed a major media production hub for the group.&nbsp;

This comes close on the heels of Russia claiming to have killed Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a May 28 air strike.

The US military statement said Khan&#39;s killing was an important breakthrough as the Islamic State would be &quot;deprived&quot; of an &quot;experienced media production director and skilled propagandist&quot;.

Commander General&nbsp;John Nicholson stated that the death &quot;will disrupt the ISIS-K network, degrade their recruitment process and hinder their attempts to conduct international operations.

There is no safe haven for ISIS-K in Afghanistan. With our Afghan partners we will continue to aggressively target IS-K and defeat them.&quot;

The statement also confirmed that there were no civilian casualties associated with the strike.

IS has been fighting to get a foothold in Afghanistan.&nbsp;

The US estimates that there are 600 to 3,000 IS fighters in Afghanistan, with most of them operating in Nangarhar province.

Although the now-dormant Al Qaeda has no direct links with Islamic State, it is believed that IS&#39; branch in Afghanistan was primarily launched by disgruntled Al Qaeda members.&nbsp;

Islamic State-Khorasan recently chased the Taliban away from Tora Bora, a one-time Osama bin Laden hideout.&nbsp;

The US military said Jawad Khan's death would be a telling blow for the fledgling Islamic State operation in Afghanistan

A senior media member of Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), the Afghanistan branch of the Middle East-nased Islamist organisation, has been killed, the US military said. The Hill reported that a June 3 air strike in Achin, Nangarhar province, killed Jawad Khan, the senior director of ISIS-K media production, and destroyed a major media production hub for the group. This comes close on the heels of Russia claiming to have killed Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a May 28 air strike. The US military statement said Khan's killing was an important breakthrough as the Islamic State would be "deprived" of an "experienced media production director and skilled propagandist". Commander General John Nicholson stated that the death "will disrupt the ISIS-K network, degrade their recruitment process and hinder their attempts to conduct international operations. There is no safe haven for ISIS-K in Afghanistan. With our Afghan partners we will continue to aggressively target IS-K and defeat them." The statement also confirmed that there were no civilian casualties associated with the strike. IS has been fighting to get a foothold in Afghanistan. The US estimates that there are 600 to 3,000 IS fighters in Afghanistan, with most of them operating in Nangarhar province. Although the now-dormant Al Qaeda has no direct links with Islamic State, it is believed that IS' branch in Afghanistan was primarily launched by disgruntled Al Qaeda members. Islamic State-Khorasan recently chased the Taliban away from Tora Bora, a one-time Osama bin Laden hideout.

Senior IS-Khorasan media member killed in air strike: US

Two US troops were killed and one was wounded while fighting an Islamic State group affiliate in Afghanistan, the US military said Thursday, near where Washington this month dropped the &quot;Mother of All Bombs&quot;.

US Forces-Afghanistan said the troops &quot;came under attack during a raid against insurgents in Nangarhar province&quot; late Wednesday.

The troops were working with partnered Afghan soldiers in the raid against IS Khorasan, a local offshoot of the jihadist group based in Iraq and Syria.

&quot;The fight against ISIS-K is important for the world, but sadly, it is not without sacrifice,&quot; said US Forces-Afghanistan chief General John Nicholson, using the military&#39;s name for IS Khorasan.

In mid-April, the US military earlier dropped the largest non-nuclear bomb it has ever used in combat, hitting IS positions in Nangarhar.&nbsp;

The deployment of the so-called Mother Of All Bombs (MOAB) killed at least 95 jihadists, according to the Afghan defence ministry, but fighting in the area has continued.&nbsp;

&quot;Last night US forces along with some Afghan forces, conducted a night time operation in a village next to Assadkhail village (site of the MOAB),&quot; the governor of Achin district, where the fighting took place, Ismail Shinwari, told AFP.

&quot;They used helicopters to deploy forces and the sound of heavy fighting could be heard from the site. We don&#39;t know anything about possible American casualties, but as per our information, up to 40 IS fighters were killed in the operation,&quot; he added.

On Thursday evening the Islamic State group claimed on its website to have repelled an attack conducted by American and Afghan forces and to have caused US casualties.&nbsp;

US Forces-Afghanistan did not immediately provide additional information ahead of notification of the dead troops&#39; next of kin.&nbsp;

An American special forces soldier was killed while conducting operations against IS in Nangarhar on April 8.

America has about 8,400 troops in Afghanistan. Most are part of a NATO mission to train and advise Afghan partner forces.&nbsp;

But about 2,150 of these troops work in a counterterrorism role and are more likely to be engaged in actual combat.

IS, notorious for its reign of terror in Syria and Iraq, has made inroads into Afghanistan in recent years, attracting disaffected members of the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban as well as Uzbek Islamists.

But the group has steadily lost ground in the face of heavy pressure both from US air strikes and a ground offensive led by Afghan forces.

This week Afghan authorities arrested 35 soldiers who served on an army base in northern Afghanistan where the Taliban staged a deadly attack last week as fears grew they had inside help.

The brutal assault in which 135 recruits were killed is believed to be the deadliest-ever Taliban attack on a military installation.

Afghan forces, already beset by killings and desertions, have been struggling to beat back insurgents since US-led NATO troops ended their combat mission in December 2014.

(AFP)

US Forces-Afghanistan said the troops 'came under attack' during an operation in an area not very far from where the 'Mother of All Bombs' was dropped

Two US troops were killed and one was wounded while fighting an Islamic State group affiliate in Afghanistan, the US military said Thursday, near where Washington this month dropped the "Mother of All Bombs". US Forces-Afghanistan said the troops "came under attack during a raid against insurgents in Nangarhar province" late Wednesday. The troops were working with partnered Afghan soldiers in the raid against IS Khorasan, a local offshoot of the jihadist group based in Iraq and Syria. "The fight against ISIS-K is important for the world, but sadly, it is not without sacrifice," said US Forces-Afghanistan chief General John Nicholson, using the military's name for IS Khorasan. In mid-April, the US military earlier dropped the largest non-nuclear bomb it has ever used in combat, hitting IS positions in Nangarhar. The deployment of the so-called Mother Of All Bombs (MOAB) killed at least 95 jihadists, according to the Afghan defence ministry, but fighting in the area has continued. "Last night US forces along with some Afghan forces, conducted a night time operation in a village next to Assadkhail village (site of the MOAB)," the governor of Achin district, where the fighting took place, Ismail Shinwari, told AFP. "They used helicopters to deploy forces and the sound of heavy fighting could be heard from the site. We don't know anything about possible American casualties, but as per our information, up to 40 IS fighters were killed in the operation," he added. On Thursday evening the Islamic State group claimed on its website to have repelled an attack conducted by American and Afghan forces and to have caused US casualties. US Forces-Afghanistan did not immediately provide additional information ahead of notification of the dead troops' next of kin. An American special forces soldier was killed while conducting operations against IS in Nangarhar on April 8. America has about 8,400 troops in Afghanistan. Most are part of a NATO mission to train and advise Afghan partner forces. But about 2,150 of these troops work in a counterterrorism role and are more likely to be engaged in actual combat. IS, notorious for its reign of terror in Syria and Iraq, has made inroads into Afghanistan in recent years, attracting disaffected members of the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban as well as Uzbek Islamists. But the group has steadily lost ground in the face of heavy pressure both from US air strikes and a ground offensive led by Afghan forces. This week Afghan authorities arrested 35 soldiers who served on an army base in northern Afghanistan where the Taliban staged a deadly attack last week as fears grew they had inside help. The brutal assault in which 135 recruits were killed is believed to be the deadliest-ever Taliban attack on a military installation. Afghan forces, already beset by killings and desertions, have been struggling to beat back insurgents since US-led NATO troops ended their combat mission in December 2014. (AFP)

Two US troops killed, one hurt during raid against IS in Afghanistan

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Will Pakistan offer drone bases to US to target terror outfits?

Senior IS-Khorasan media member killed in air strike: US

Two US troops killed, one hurt during raid against IS in Afghanistan