Afghanistan is facing a major threat from across the Pakistani border in North Waziristan with reports of tribal groups planning to move to Afghan territory for safety, Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said.
His comments come the same day a Pakistani government official said that militants from Afghanistan had attacked an anti-Taliban militia post in northwest Pakistan for the third day.
But Sediqqi’s statement is related to reports in Pakistani media of local Taliban tribal leaders in Waziristan deciding to take refuge in Afghanistan as speculation spreads of Pakistan’s army taking action against militants in the area.
About 1,500 Maliks, clerics and members of the Taliban Shura held a meeting at Islami Madressah Nezamia in Edek village, near Miramshah, on Saturday, with a decision reported by media that will see an influx of tribal leaders and groups move to Afghanistan.
“The peace agreement between the tribes and government is still intact. In case government starts a military operation the people of North Waziristan will migrate to Afghanistan,” local tribal leaders said.
However, Sediqqi issued a similar warning in return.
“The Pakistani border and the presence of insurgents and Taliban in northern Waziristan are major threats to Afghanistan, therefore the Afghan forces are ready to crack down on terrorists inside Afghanistan,” he told TOLOnews.
The Afghan Ministry of Defense spokesman Gen. Zahir Azimi said that both Afghan and foreign forces will also stop the movement of any insurgents into Afghanistan.
“The Afghan and foreign troops are ready to prevent the infiltration of insurgents in Afghanistan and will fight them inside the country,” Azimi said.
The Waziristan elders have also reportedly said that Afghanistan would be a suitable country for their women and children because they will not be targeted by the US drones.
“The Afghan government is much better than the Pakistani government because at least women and children are not killed in drone strikes in the neighboring country,” the elders were reported as saying.
The political administration has imposed a night curfew in some parts of the tribal region to facilitate military convoys to pass through those areas during the night.
