Afghanistan, Pakistan at Odds Over Ghazni Assault Claims

[undercover JIX]

Afghanistan, Pakistan at Odds Over Ghazni Assault Claims
Last Updated: August 16, 2018 6:30 PM

• Mohammad Habibzada

FILE - Smoke rises into the air after Taliban militants launched an attack on the Afghan provincial capital of Ghazni, Aug. 10, 2018.

Afghan officials claim that dozens of Pakistani nationals were among more than 400 militants killed in fierce battles in southeastern Ghazni province in the past several days.

"During the Taliban attack in Ghazni province, over 400 terrorists were killed, including 70 Pakistani nationals whose bodies are ready to be transferred to Pakistan in Jahangir Bazar, a local market located between Muqur and Gelan districts [Ghazni province]," said Wahidullah Kalimzai, governor of Ghazni province.

Kalimzai added that other foreign nationals were among the dead militants during battles. He also said at least 100 Afghan national security forces and dozens of civilians were killed.

"Some of the dead bodies of Chechens remain in the battlefield. Documents found in their position prove they were Chechen nationals," the governor said.

The Afghan Ministry of Defense also said it confirmed the presence of Pakistani nationals fighting in Ghazni province, but did not give details pending an investigation.

"Pakistanis are involved in the southeastern Ghazni battle. The clearing operation is still underway, and we are investigating this issue," Sayed Ghafoor Ahmad Jawid, a spokesperson for the Afghan Ministry of Defense, told VOA.

FILE - This screen grab taken from AFPTV video on Aug. 10, 2018, shows smoke rising into the air after Taliban militants launched an attack on the Afghan provincial capital of Ghazni.
Afghan authorities have long accused Pakistan's spy agency of backing militant fighters in the region, which Pakistani authorities have denied. But the Ghazni attack has revived the issue.

Last week, the Afghan army chief of general staff, General Mohammad Sharif Yaftali, said Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was behind the five-day siege of Ghazni.

"Pakistan is the springboard of international terrorism. All terrorists first land in Pakistan, where they get armed, equipped and then sent to Afghanistan to fight," Yaftali told reporters in Kabul.

He also said many members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a U.S.-designated terror group, were among those killed in Ghazni province.

Pakistan's reaction

Pakistani officials reject the Afghan government's allegations that Pakistani nationals were fighting alongside the Taliban against Afghan government forces.

"We have no evidence to back up these comments, hence we reject the reports of Pakistanis killed in Ghazni attacks," Muhammad Faisal, a spokesperson for Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told VOA.

"We condemn the heinous attacks in Ghazni and want to reiterate that Pakistan wants a peaceful and stable Afghanistan," Faisal added.

Jawid, the Afghan Ministry of Defense spokesperson, said, "We will share all the evidence with the Pakistani government and our international allies, including the U.N., once they are complete."

Bodies returned to Pakistan?

Reports from Pakistan's border region in recent days have cited local officials and social media photos and videos appearing to indicate that militant groups have transported dead fighters from the Ghazni battle back to Pakistan for burial.

Afrasiab Khattak, a former senator and current senior member of the Awami National Party, asked his own government to explain the bodies when authorities insist no Pakistani nationals were involved.

"The dead bodies from the southeastern Ghazni battle that were shifted to Pakistan — some Pakistani groups have posted photos of the dead bodies and have invited people to attend funeral ceremonies of their members on social media. These groups have proudly stated that those men were killed there [in Ghazni]," Khattak told VOA.



Afrasiab Khattak@a_siab
https://twitter.com/a_siab/status/1029258747393318914

Pak govt needs to explain reports about the dead bodies of Pakistanis coming in from the war in Ghazni and Pak fighters getting arrested. Is it the repetition of the Jalalabad fiasco in 1989? Pak Afghan Policy is an unmitigated disaster.CHNGE IT.

2:49 AM - Aug 14, 2018

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Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesman said Islamabad has not received any evidence to back up the claims.

Local accounts

Local sources in Pakistan told VOA that bodies have been transported to different provinces of Pakistan, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Baluchistan, from across the border.

According to these sources, Usman, a militant commander; Haq Nawaz, a militant from Hangu district; and Rashid Badini, a militant from southwestern Baluchistan province, were among those killed in Ghazni, and people were visiting their families to offer condolences.

Local Pakistani officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, told VOA that many Pakistani militants killed in Afghanistan allegedly belonged to Mullah Nazir, an allegedly pro-government militant group.

They also said dozens of dead bodies were taken to Punjab's Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur and Khara areas. The dead bodies allegedly were brought from Wana from Afghanistan, where they were transported to southern parts of Punjab province.

VOA could not independently verify these claims.

Sanctuaries

Relations between Pakistan and the U.S. have deteriorated over allegations that Taliban insurgents fighting local and international forces in Afghanistan use sanctuaries on Pakistani soil to plan attacks.

U.S. and Afghan officials have long accused Pakistan of being selective in its campaign against militant groups operating in the country.

In January, U.S. President Donald Trump charged that Islamabad had failed to take action against terror safe havens in Pakistan and suspended military aid to the country.



Donald J. Trump

✔@realDonaldTrump
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/947802588174577664

The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!

8:12 AM - Jan 1, 2018

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Pakistani officials deny the charges and maintain that the country has equally targeted all militant groups and suffered enormous losses.

Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Pakistan's outgoing ambassador to the United States, told VOA in an interview in May that his country had done the most against terrorism in the region and that no country could accuse it of not doing enough.

"Al-Qaida, if you don't hear about it today, it is because Pakistan and the U.S. were cooperating. Al-Qaida is the organization that caused 9/11, and therefore, we think that no country can tell us that Pakistan has not done enough. In fact, Pakistan has done the most," Chaudhry said.

VOA's Madeeha Anwar contributed to this report from Washington.

https://www.voanews.com/a/afghanistan-pakistan-at-odds-over-ghazni-assault-claims/4531933.html


Mohammad Habibzada. Subscribe. Produced by Mohammad Habibzada ... US-based Afghanistan expert

 

[undercover JIX]

here it comes, blame Pakistan, but do not secure the borders.

 

[GHALIB]

it will not stop , it is very difficult to stop crossing of borders between pak and afghan .

 

[undercover JIX]

it will not stop , it is very difficult to stop crossing of borders between pak and afghan .

so instead of blaming, why not help to fence and guard properly. and why anyone needs Pakistan when they all can enjoy freedom of movement in Afghanistan. ANA and US is no where to stop them.

 

[Cookie Monster]

here it comes, blame Pakistan, but do not secure the borders.

Even if Pak was behind it, it's still fine. They provide sanctuary to TTP which carries out attacks in Pak...so tit for tat.

it will not stop , it is very difficult to stop crossing of borders between pak and afghan .

So just because it still won't stop we should not fence the border and take other precautions? That's stupid reasoning...
While we r at it, the whole world should get rid of police departments bcuz crime still happens right?

It's plain and simple...Afghanistan cries when Pakistan tries to fence the border and tightens border security and then they are still "be-ghairat" enough to blame Pak about cross border terrorism.

 

[WaLeEdK2]

I don't get it. If they're so concerned about militants coming from Pakistan then make an effort to actually monitor and secure the border. The Afghan government should request some funds for it from their puppet handlers in Washington and if daddy says no then at the very least cooperate with Pakistan instead of trying to pick a fight with us that you'll never win.

 

[Pan-Islamic-Pakistan]

I don't get it. If they're so concerned about militants coming from Pakistan then make an effort to actually monitor and secure the border. The Afghan government should request some funds for it from their puppet handlers in Washington and if daddy says no then at the very least cooperate with Pakistan instead of trying to pick a fight with us that you'll never win.

They don’t want to see the border fences as it will eliminate Afghan and Indian agents options of getting into Pakistan to do terrorism.

Some militants may be from Pakistan, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are Pakistani assets.

 

[Khanate]

VOA could not independently verify these claims.

Of course, VOA can't verify these claims because they are bogus. As Trump likes to say, "Fake News".

I don't get it. If they're so concerned about militants coming from Pakistan then make an effort to actually monitor and secure the border. The Afghan government should request some funds for it from their puppet handlers in Washington and if daddy says no then at the very least cooperate with Pakistan instead of trying to pick a fight with us that you'll never win.

Because then they can't send terrorist over to Pakistan. The phrase is 'double game'.

 

[ranawat]

This is all because of desire to have strategic depth in Afghanistan.

 

[Khanate]

Some militants may be from Pakistan, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are Pakistani assets.

There are million of Afghans living in Pakistan, legally and illegally. We have no control over their movement like Iran does. To classify them as Pakistani or Pakistani assets is just sheer stupid. Then again, this is a continuation of the blame game. Meanwhile, a known 'rapist' and 'murderer', Ghani's words, is the Vice President of Afghanistan.

 

[gangsta_rap]

Take it to the international courts in the UN and bring it before the intl community. Theres a method to it all but you won't because the falsification is so intense

 

[Sharpshooter12]

Yep blame Pakistan, I am sure most of the fighters that attacked in Faryab were Pakistani too. The thing I don't understand is that Pakistan with our meager resources is trying to seal the border and man it. But during all those years that US and Nato forces were controlling Afghanistan they never tried to seal the border. If indeed the real issue is Pakistani support for Taliban then US military should have put all its resources in fencing, mining, and securing the border with the help of superior technology that they possess.

They did not because they knew it won't help. Even if we accept these Afghani sources that 70 of those killed were Pakistanis(who took their CNICs with them just in case they need to get a new Sim) 330 were Afghans. Taliban have an active presence in 70% of Afghanistan, they don't need bases in Pakistan to operate. And episodes like Ghormach have shown how limited is ANA, they could not even reinforce their own base for more than 3 days, letting a whole company get decimated. They had an attrition rate of 30% in 2016, it must have become even higher now but they have stopped publishing these details after 2016.

The war is lost in Afghanistan, unless of course US is willing to increase its presence in Afghanistan to a few hundred thousands and start the whole thing from the scratch, they should better pull out completely. They have failed miserably. The Afghan army that Soviets left in Afghanistan was far more motivated and disciplined than this pathetic ANA, that army gave Mujahideens a good run for their money. ANA won't last a year against Talibans once the Americans pull out completely.

 

[Pakistansdefender]

When they said that :
Even lashkar e taiba fighters were killed, I stopped reading beyond that.
Nothing is going to help these Afghans, unless they come out of this dilusion that Pakistan, Iran and inshort the world is against them.
Just today watching aljazira and the afghan representative there was claiming that, the terrorist attack on hazara school could be done by Pakistan. When the reported asked why and any possible reason or logic , he said that pakistan is a sunni country and Iran is Shia. So pakistan wanted to kill hazara to counter Iran.
What the f*ck logic is that.
Seriously yar.
They are failing majorly beacsue they are going after the wrong person.
300 to 400 afghan army officials, police and civilians have died in last 5 days.
And this is totally fake news, no taliban of this much magnitude were killed.
Besides the funeral Videos could be anywhere. The terain of Afghanistan and pakistan is so Similar, plus phusto speaking community on both sides, so the videos get muddled up.
Why these failed politicians like afrasiab khattak ready to bring Imran on anything coming from Afghanistan.
I sympathise with Afghanistan on these deaths.
But in this tense situation, in order to relief pressure on their government by public, they cannot lie to the masses.
If you are creating hatred against Pakistan now, this hatred would only haunt afghan society more.
Trust me, blame Pakistan, Iran and Russia for next 1000 years, and nothing is going to improve in Afghanistan, unless you see where you true enemy is and it is roaming freely inside Afghanistan.
Talk with taliban, make truce. Accept some power sharing formula, only educated and non violent taliban could be allowed to form government with this present government .
America should leave and let there be peace, even if there is no food and water.
What kind of army is this, they die like ants. 300 security forces die just like that without even fighting and with huge hostages.
What kind of army is this?
This maybe and couldbe is not going to Work anymore.

 

[I.R.A]

Afrasiab Khattak, a former senator and current senior member of the Awami National Party, asked his own government to explain the bodies when authorities insist no Pakistani nationals were involved.

To the bold underlined CKD ........ in which part of this region Molvi Radio died? Pakistan or Afghanistan?

Where are all those TTP hiding? Pakistan or Afghanistan? Where was Mastung suicide bomber trained?

Once again to the bold underlined CKD ......... how many Afghans got Pakistani CNICs exploiting corruption and loop holes in NADRA?

 

[Hakikat ve Hikmet]

Yep blame Pakistan, I am sure most of the fighters that attacked in Faryab were Pakistani too. The thing I don't understand is that Pakistan with our meager resources is trying to seal the border and man it. But during all those years that US and Nato forces were controlling Afghanistan they never tried to seal the border. If indeed the real issue is Pakistani support for Taliban then US military should have put all its resources in fencing, mining, and securing the border with the help of superior technology that they possess.

They did not because they knew it won't help. Even if we accept these Afghani sources that 70 of those killed were Pakistanis(who took their CNICs with them just in case they need to get a new Sim) 330 were Afghans. Taliban have an active presence in 70% of Afghanistan, they don't need bases in Pakistan to operate. And episodes like Ghormach have shown how limited is ANA, they could not even reinforce their own base for more than 3 days, letting a whole company get decimated. They had an attrition rate of 30% in 2016, it must have become even higher now but they have stopped publishing these details after 2016.

The war is lost in Afghanistan, unless of course US is willing to increase its presence in Afghanistan to a few hundred thousands and start the whole thing from the scratch, they should better pull out completely. They have failed miserably. The Afghan army that Soviets left in Afghanistan was far more motivated and disciplined than this pathetic ANA, that army gave Mujahideens a good run for their money. ANA won't last a year against Talibans once the Americans pull out completely.

Good assessment on all points except that ANA staff!! Even a couple of weeks for them to survive without the US help is like too generous!!