Multiple explosions rock Kabul as Pak-Afghan border clashes intensify

Kabul, Dec 28 (IANS) Afghanistan’s capital Kabul has become the epicentre of multiple explosions during the last 24 hours as border clashes between Pakistan and Afghan forces intensify. At 10 a.m. on Saturday, an explosion was reported in Kabul close to the office of the interior ministry in front of Sheikh Zayed Hospital. The latest explosion in Afghanistan’s capital is the second within 24 hours with the first being near the Indian Embassy at Kabul’s Shahri Naw area on Friday.

“No casualties have been reported. A search operation has begun in the vicinity. The motive behind the blast is unknown as of now. There has been no official word about the incident as yet also,” said Samiullah, a local resident of Kabul.

Saturday’s explosion in Kabul follows what seems like a series of targeted attacks around sensitive locations in the capital. On Friday, around 3:30 p.m., an explosion was heard by the locals near the Indian Embassy located at the Shahri Naw area in Kabul. The Afghan Taliban regime opted to remain silent on the incident. However, reports suggested that the explosion resulted in at least 17 casualties.

“Yesterday’s explosion killed dozens and it seemed to be targeted somewhere near to the Indian Embassy in Kabul. On December 24, an Afghan staffer of Indian consulate in Jalalabad was attacked and injured,” said a local source in Kabul.

Pertinent to note that the explosions in Kabul are happening at a time when clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan have intensified on the border. During the early hours of Saturday, heavy exchange of fire was reported between Afghanistan and Pakistan on the Dande Pattan-Kurram border.

“There have been injuries reported on both sides. We still do not have a confirmation on the casualties,” said a local source in Kurram district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (KP) province.

Moreover, at least four security personnel have been martyred, while at least 11 have been injured in heavy clashes with the militants in KP’s Bajaur district.

“Four security personnel have died and 11 injured during the intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Mulla Said Banda, Salarzai area of Bajaur district. The injured include a major ranked officer. There have been casualties among militants also. However, the militants have been surrounded and the firing is still going on,” said a security source.

The latest episode of heavy clashes between militants and the security forces along with a fresh exchange of heavy fire along the Pak-Afghan border has forced hundreds of families, residing in Afghanistan’s Landoro Sadiqo village of Khost province to leave their homes due to fear of further armed clashes.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during his recent address at a Cabinet meeting, stated that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is a “red line” for the country, urging the Taliban-led Afghan interim government to take decisive action against the group.

“Since TTP operates from Afghanistan, the Afghan government must take solid action to prevent attacks on Pakistan. If this continues, it will be unacceptable. Pakistan will defend itself at all costs,” he said.

The fresh Pak-Afghan clashes are also a result of the recent airstrikes by Pakistan in Afghanistan, that targeted hideouts of TTP in Paktika province of Afghanistan, which borders with Pakistan’s South Waziristan tribal district of KP province.

Reports of casualties were confirmed by the Afghan Taliban, who stated that they would respond to Pakistan’s aggression with full force.

“The Pakistani side should understand that such arbitrary measures are not a solution to any problem. The Islamic Emirate will not leave this cowardly act unanswered and considers the defence of its territory an inalienable right,” said Enayatullah Khowarazami, spokesperson of the Afghan Taliban’s Defense Ministry.

–IANS

hamza/kvd