'These are your own problems': Afghan Taliban minister to Pakistan on clashes with TTP

Amid the ongoing tensions with Pakistan, the Minister of Interior of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, told Islamabad that the clashes with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are "their own matter" and have nothing to do with Kabul. He questions why the matter was "imposed" on the Taliban. This came referring to the ongoing negotiations between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"The talks that were held in Doha under the leadership of Mawlawi Yaqoob Mujahid, and now the ono=going negotiations in Türkiye. What we don't understand is if the problem is your own and you are capable of solving it, then why is it being imposed on us?" Haqqani said.

"We want to clarify to our fellow citizes regarding the TTP that in response to the statements made by them, all of our responsible officials except for Zabiullah Mujahid have remained silent," he added.

What's happening?

A massive clash erupted between Pakistan and Afghanistan forces at multiple border areas of the countries. Both sides claimed they had captured and destroyed border posts. The Taliban administration’s spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said at least 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed in “retaliatory” attacks on Saturday (October 11). This came two days after two blasts happened in Afghanistan. The tensions between the two nations are being called the worst border clashes in recent years.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani authorities claimed that their 23 soldiers were killed while the Islamabad forces killed 200 Taliban and affiliated “terrorists”. The Taliban government has accused Pakistan of being behind the bombings in Kabul and the southeastern province of Paktika two days ago. The Shehbaz Sharif government neither denied the allegations nor confirmed them.

How did it all start?

It all started around 10:30 pm on Saturday (October 11) when Taliban forces attacked the Pakistan border, which later converted into multiple firing at various locations in the border area. Pakistan named Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir, Bahram Chah, and Chitral as the locations where the clashes erupted. They all come under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province except Bahram Chah in Balochistan.

The Pakistani military on Sunday condemned what it called “the cowardly action”, saying it was aimed at destabilising the border to facilitate terrorism”.

“Exercising the right of self-defence, the alert Armed Forces of Pakistan repelled the assault decisively,” Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, said in a statement.