Afghan Army chief, ISAF commander assure Gen Sharif of action against Kunar-based TTP group believed to be involved in Peshawar school attack
Chief of General Staff of the Afghan National Army (ANA) General Sher Muhammad Karimi and Commander of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) John Campbell on Tuesday called on Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif and assured their full support in the war against terrorism as well as in eliminating terrorists on Afghan soil.
The visiting dignitaries also expressed their grief over the Peshawar school carnage in which 149 innocent lives were lost, including 133 children.
In the wake of the Army Public School massacre, Gen Sharif had made an unscheduled visit to Kabul to share vital intelligence with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and General John Campbell.
Gen Sharif had sought Kabul’s help in order to extradite top Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Mullah Fazlullah who is wanted for terrorism cases in Pakistan. He received assurances from the Afghan government and ISAF for action against a Kunar-based Taliban splinter group which is believed to be behind the Peshawar school attack.
The US State Department had also said that Washington would welcome increased cooperation with Pakistan in the fight against terrorism.
Appreciating recently commenced operations by Afghan forces against Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) in areas close to the Pak-Afghan Border, Gen Sharif vowed to extend full support to Gen Karimi and Commander Campbell in all spheres, including intelligence sharing as well as coordinated operations by both sides.
The trilateral meeting discussed the overall security situation in the region, matters relating to coordination on the Pak-Afghan border and protocols placed to improve border control.
Both General Karimi and the ISAF commander acknowledged that due to the successful and non-discriminatory Zarb-e-Azb operation of security forces, the Pakistan Army’s operational gains were appreciable and terrorist networks had been seriously degraded.
