Pak airstrikes in Afghanistan: US urges Islamabad to exercise restrain

The United States urged Pakistan to exercise restraint in its counter-terrorist offensive in Afghanistan, hours after Islamabad said it carried out airstrikes on Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) affiliated militants in the neighbouring country.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, 18 March White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the US also urges the Taliban, which rules Afghanistan, to ensure that Afghan soil is not used for launching terror attacks.

Earlier on Monday, Pakistan said it carried out airstrikes on TTP militants in Afghanistan, amidst a war of words between the two neighbours over a spate of recent terror attacks in restive Pakistani cities.

Pakistan's Foreign Office (FO) said that rebels belonging to TTP's Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group were hit after the outfit claimed responsibility for the attack on Saturday at an army outpost that resulted in the killing of seven soldiers, including two officers.

At least eight civilians, including three children, were killed in the airstrikes carried out by Pakistan, the Afghan Taliban said while summoning the charge d'affaires of Pakistan's embassy in Kabul to lodge a strong protest.

Jean-Pierre said Pakistan and Afghanistan should resolve their differences through dialogue.

"We are aware of the reports, obviously, that Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan in response to the attack in Pakistan on Saturday at a military post. We deeply regret the loss of life and injuries sustained during the attack in Pakistan and the loss of civilian lives during the strikes in Afghanistan," she said.

"We urge the Taliban to ensure that terrorist attacks are not launched from Afghan soil. We urge Pakistan to exercise restraint and ensure civilians are not harmed in their counter-terrorism efforts.

"We urge both sides to address any differences through dialogue. We remain committed to ensuring that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists who wish to harm the United States or our other partners or allies," she said.

At a separate news conference, State Department Spokesperson Vedant Patel spoke in the same vein.

"We deeply regret the loss of life and injustices sustained during the attack in Pakistan, and the loss of civilian lives during the strike in Afghanistan. We urge the Taliban to ensure that terrorist attacks are not launched from Afghan soil, and we urge Pakistan to exercise restraint and ensure civilians are not harmed in their counterterrorism efforts. And we urge both sides to address any differences," he said.

"We remain committed to ensuring that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists who wish to harm the United States or our partners and allies," Patel said.

The US has been in regular communication with Pakistani leaders to discuss Afghanistan in detail, including through counter-terrorism dialogue and other bilateral consultations, he said.

US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on 15 March to discuss a broad range of bilateral issues, partnering with the Pakistani government on regional security, the US support for continued economic reforms with and through the International Monetary Fund, trade and investment, education, climate change, and other private sector-led economic growth issues, he added.

The airstrikes by Pakistan came a day after President Asif Ali Zardari vowed retaliation following the killing of seven soldiers, including two officers, in Saturday's terrorist attack in North Waziristan.