Army denies drone strikes in Kurram

• ISPR says no air violation along Pak-Afghan border

RAWALPINDI: The Pakistan Army spokesperson has said that no drone strike has taken place in the Kurram Agency.

“There has been no air violation along Pak-Afghan border in that area nor any drone strike in Kurram Agency,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement issued here on Tuesday.

The military said that the military operation was being conducted in Khost and Paktia areas of Afghanistan by the Resolute Support Mission (RSM)/Afghan forces and the area is opposite the Kurram Agency.

During the last 24 hours, the number of air engagements has taken place in those areas inside Afghanistan with reports of heavy losses to militants. As a follow up of Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s visit to Afghanistan, coordination between the forces has enhanced.

The ISPR statement said that the Resolute Support Mission timely shared details about the operation within the Afghan territory. Based on timely sharing, the Pakistan Army is vigilant as an anvil on own side along the border. A better security coordination will take both the countries towards enduring peace and stability defeating the common enemy.

It said that the Resolute Support Mission, the coalition forces operating in the country against the Taliban and Daesh, was sharing details about the operation within Afghan territory and the Pakistan Army is vigilant in its own area along the border area.

At least 14 people have reportedly died in three drone strikes targeting areas near the Pak-Afghan border in Afghanistan over the last 24 hours. Earlier, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif had called on the United States to exercise restraint on drone strikes at a time when attempts are underway to revive Afghan-Taliban peace talks.

The foreign minister had expressed hope that the four-nation moot in Muscat, Oman being held to find ways of reviving peace talks with Afghan Taliban militants would yield positive results.