US State Department Special Representative for Afghanistan, Thomas West, is set to travel to India and the UAE this week to meet with officials from partner countries. His visit aims to discuss collaboration in support of the Afghan people.
“I will travel to India and UAE this week to meet with partners on our collaboration in support of the Afghan people,” said West in a post on X.
I will travel to India and UAE this week to meet with partners on our collaboration in support of the Afghan people.
— U.S. Special Representative Thomas West (@US4AfghanPeace) March 18, 2024
The announcement of West’s visit comes shortly after Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Khost and Paktia provinces, resulting in the deaths of eight individuals, including children and women.
According to local sources, the clashes began on Monday morning after rocket fire from Pakistan prompted residents of Dand Patan to evacuate their homes. The armed forces of the Taliban and Pakistan then engaged in clashes following the airstrikes.
The Taliban condemned the airstrikes, calling them a clear violation of Afghanistan’s territory.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office stated that the airstrikes were part of “intelligence-based anti-terrorist operations” targeting terrorists from the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, which, along with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has been responsible for numerous terrorist attacks in Pakistan.
In response to Pakistan’s airstrikes, the Taliban targeted Pakistani military posts along the Durand Line with heavy weapons, according to the Taliban-led Ministry of Defence. The Ministry stated that Afghanistan’s defence and security forces are prepared to respond to any aggressive actions to defend their territorial integrity.
During a White House briefing, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre urged the Taliban to prevent terror attacks from being launched from Afghan soil. She reiterated the US commitment to ensuring that Afghanistan does not become a safe haven for terrorists targeting the United States and its allies.