Pakistan has carried out fresh airstrikes targeting terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan, putting the expected talks and ceasefire in Doha under threat.
The strikes came hours after militants attacked a military installation in North Waziristan and extended a two-day ceasefire, Dawn newspaper reported on Saturday.
There has been no statement from the Pakistani Army. On the other hand, Hafiz Gul Bahadur group of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack on Khaddi Fort in Mir Ali in the early hours of Friday.
Security sources said they foiled the attack and killed all four attackers.
According to the newspaper, security sources claimed that precision strikes were carried out on positions of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group, reportedly killing dozens of fighters.
According to the newspaper, Pakistan also targeted the hideouts of terrorists in Angoor Adda area and Urgun and Barmal districts of Paktika province of Afghanistan late on Friday night.
According to the news, Pakistani security sources have said that the ceasefire agreement between the Afghan government and Pakistan does not include attacking terrorist organizations and their targets.
These latest attacks came at a time when representatives of the two countries were scheduled to meet in Doha, where the Qatari government was trying to mediate.
The newspaper said that after the latest attacks on Friday night, both the ceasefire and the talks in Doha are under threat.
“Both Pakistan and Afghanistan have mutually agreed to extend the ceasefire till the talks in Doha, Qatar. The talks are expected to begin (on Saturday),” a security source had said at the conclusion of the initial 48-hour ceasefire on Friday.
Information received from Afghanistan suggests that the Taliban delegation will include Defense Minister Mullah Yaqub Mujahid and intelligence chief Mullah Wasiq.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office did not comment on the matter, but a late evening meeting between National Security Advisor and ISI chief Lieutenant General Asim Malik and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar indicated that General Malik may travel to Doha.
