FO summons Afghan envoy, records protest over cross-border attack: sources

 

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Tuesday summoned Afghanistan’s high commissioner and registered a strong protest against a cross-border attack by terrorists from Afghanistan in Pakistan's Bajaur Agency, sources told Geo News.

Captain Junaid Hafeez and Sepoy Raham were martyred in the attack on Monday.

According to the protest letter handed to the Afghan envoy, the foreign ministry demanded from the Afghan government to bring an end to the use of Afghan soil against Pakistan.

Pakistan Army captain, sepoy martyred in cross-border attack from Afghanistan

Captain Junaid Hafeez and Sepoy Reham were martyred in the attack on a border post

Four army troops were also injured in the assault on the border post.

At least eight terrorists were killed in the attack and others were injured in retaliatory fire from the army.

The remaining terrorists withdrew across the border after sustaining casualties, the army's media wing had said.

"Absence of Afghan writ on Afghan side of the border like many other areas facilitate terrorists to undertake such attempts," said the ISPR.

More efforts required on Afghanistan's side of border

ISPR DG Major General Asif Ghafoor, in a series of tweets, said Pakistan has done its part and has cleared areas on its side of the border from terrorist presence.

He referred to the martyrdom of the soldiers as the price Pakistan is paying for the security vacuum on the Afghan side of the border.

Elaborating further, he said more efforts and enhanced presence along the border is required by all stakeholders, including establishments of new posts, border fencing and increased patrolling.

Ghafoor added that the lives of soldiers and civilians on both sides of the border are precious and further stated it requires the elimination of terrorists and their sanctuaries in Afghanistan.

Attacks originating from Afghanistan by militants have become more regular as militants have established sanctuaries in Afghanistan.

On November 9, an army sepoy, Mohammad Ilyas, was martyred during an exchange of fire with terrorists in Khyber Agency.

Pakistani soldier martyred, 5 terrorists killed in Khyber Agency

Terrorists exploited the absence of any control in Afghan border areas, says ISPR

Terrorists had opened fire at multiple places at the newly established Pakistani posts in Rajgal Valley, exploiting the absence of any control in Afghan border areas.

On October 3, another soldier had embraced martyrdom after terrorists fired from across the Afghan border on a border post.

The incident had occurred at the recently cleared area around Mustil pass, an important passage from Afghanistan into Rajgal, in Khyber Agency.

The martyred soldier was identified by ISPR as Naib Subedar Azher Ali.

The army in August announced the successful completion of Operation Khyber-4 in the Rajgal area of Khyber Agency.

In a press conference, Major General Asif Ghafoor had announced that 253 square kilometres had been cleared of militants' presence.

In order to create a more permanent security presence in the volatile area, the army also set up 91 check posts in Rajgal Valley.

Operation Khyber-4 was launched to stop infiltration of terrorists from across the Pak-Afghan border.