Taliban say ready to give similar response after Pak shells mortar on Afghanistan's Chogam

Taliban on Saturday, Dec. 25 warned Pakistan of a similar response after the Islamabad military launched shell mortars on Afghanistan in the Chogam area of Shiltan district in Kunar, the local Afghan media Tolo News reported. At least one civilian was injured and the attack inflicted large-scale financial damage on the Afghan side. In a dire warning to the Imran Khan government, a top military commander of the Taliban earlier yesterday stressed that the Afghan side was ready to give the same response if attacks by the Pakistani military did not cease. He then warned Islamabad to refrain from firing artillery on Kabul citing the consequences. 

“The Taliban seeks good ties with its neighbours and its forces have the military equipment to defend the country”, said Abu Dojana, Commander of 201 Khalid Bin Walid Corps warned on Saturday. "This is precious soil. We have paid a large sacrifice for it. We want to be good neighbours but if they keep attacking our soil, we will certainly give them a response," TOLOnews quoted Dojana as saying. Dojana said that mortar shelling by the Pakistani side has injured civilians in Afghanistan's Chogam area of Shiltan district in Kunar.

"I was wounded by the mortar, a fragment hit my head," a wounded Afghan civilian Anwar Shah told Tolo News. He added, "I was taken to Asadabad City during the night and remained in the hospital for two days." Notably, the Chogam area lies alongside the Durand Line.

Reportedly, Pakistan has been targetting several parts of the western province of Kunar for the past two weeks, the Afghan civilians told the local news media. Witnesses have cited the Pakistani drones also operating over the province. A resident in Shiltan district named Salman told Tolo News, "We are being attacked by Pakistan. Everyone is in trouble, including children and women.” He continued, “it comes after a video went viral on social media reportedly showing a Taliban commander warning the Pakistani military to refrain from attacking Afghanistan's soil.” 

Pakistan-Taliban clash in Kunar province 

The Pakistani army and the Taliban have engaged in fresh clashes along the Durand Line, triggering speculation that their ties could severe in near future. According to footage of the skirmish accessed by Republic Media Network, the armed exchanges first began yesterday afternoon in Kunar Province and have continued since then. Notably, Pakistan and the Taliban have been in disagreement regarding the sanctity of the 2,640-kilometer-long border for decades and have clashed multiple times in the past. Conflict has now extended to discreet hamlets of the province. Sushant Sareen from Observer Research Foundation (ORF) said that the tensions even existed during the Taliban’s previous regime adding that it is unlikely that the Taliban-Pakistan relationship will be affected. 

“Both Pakistan and the Taliban are having a faceoff in regard with Durand Line, which forms the border between the two countries. It began yesterday afternoon after Pakistani forces fired artillery. It was in response to Taliban operatives removing the fencing along with the Durand Line,” Republic Media Network Executive Editor Abhishek Kapoor reported. 

“They (Taliban) do not believe in the sanctity of the Durand Line and believe in Greater Afghanistan, which extends far beyond the border,” he added.