AFGHANISTAN. Kabul: According to the sources, three A29 aircraft of the Afghan Air Force in Spin Boldak, Kandahar were aborted after “receiving warning” from Pakistan’s air force.
A copy of the conversation which was shared with TOLO news and other media by government sources showed that Afghan Air Force was warned that they are getting “closer to the border. However, an Afghan military official claimed that they were warned not to get closer than 18 kilometers to the international border point in Chaman and Spin Boldak.
Afghanistan’s First Vice President Amrullah Saleh said that the Pakistani Air Force has warned the Afghan Army and the Afghan Air Force that any move to dislodge the Taliban from the Spin Boldak area will be faced and repelled by the Pakistan Air Force.
He also claimed to have evidence and will share it with the media.
“Pakistan air force has issued an official warning to the Afghan Army and Air Force that any move to dislodge the Taliban from Spin Boldak area will be faced and repelled by the Pakistan Air Force. Pakistan airforce is now providing close air support to Taliban in certain areas, ” Saleh tweeted.
But Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement rejected the “allegations” by First Vice President Amrullah Saleh, saying it took “necessary measures within its territory to safeguard our own troops and population.”
“The Afghan side conveyed to Pakistan its intention of carrying out air operation inside its territory opposite Chaman Sector of Pakistan. Pakistan responded positively to the Afghan Government’s right to act in its territory,” the ministry said.
It added: “In spite of very close border operations normally not acceded to by internationally accepted norms, Pakistan took necessary measures within its territory to safeguard our own troops and population.”
“As alleged by the Afghan Vice President, Pakistan Air Force never communicated anything to the Afghan Air Force. Such statements undermine Pakistan’s sincere efforts to play its part in an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led solution.”
In response to the statement by the Pakistani foreign ministry, Saleh in another tweet called the statement “a statement of denial” and “a pre-written paragraph.”
According to Afghan Sarkhat Daily, the Afghan government issued a ban on officials traveling to Pakistan, reports.
Also Read: Indian Photojournalist, Danish Siddiqui Killed In Afghanistan
On Thursday, former Afghan President Hamid Karzai said he had received an invitation from Pakistan Imran Khan to visit Pakistan for talks on peace talks.
This comes two days after Taliban fighters claimed that they had seized control of the Spin Boldak crossing area between Afghan and Pakistan territory.
Reuters said, “Siddiqui told us he had been wounded in the arm by shrapnel earlier on Friday while reporting on the clash. He was treated and had been recovering when Taliban fighters retreated from the fighting in Spin Boldak.”
The Taliban recently seized some other major border crossings, Islam-Qalha customs of Herat in Iran-Afghanistan border and Torghundi customs of Herat in Afghanistan-Turkmenistan border, and other borders with Tajikistan, China, and the very recently Spin Boldak in Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
The Taliban group has so far captured over 200 districts, highways, and borders of Afghanistan with its neighbors.
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