The Kabul Tribune (KT) — The United States has reaffirmed its support for Pakistan's right to defend itself against what it described as terrorist attacks, as tensions continue to rise along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
The U.S. Department of State said Thursday that the Pakistani people have suffered significantly from terrorist attacks and that Washington supports Pakistan's right to protect itself.
The remarks come amid escalating border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan in recent months.
According to the United Nations, Pakistani airstrikes on border areas in Afghanistan have killed at least 28 civilians and injured 49 others.
Following those strikes, the Taliban said they had carried out airstrikes against targets inside Pakistan. In response, Islamabad said its forces intercepted and shot down four drones in Balochistan province.
Pakistan has accused the Taliban of providing sanctuary to armed groups that Islamabad says are responsible for attacks inside the country. The Taliban have denied the allegations, insisting that Pakistan's security challenges are an internal matter.
Relations between Washington and Islamabad have improved in recent months.
