AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The International Crisis Group has cautioned that tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan have reached a perilous stage, and continued hostilities could lead to a broader confrontation between the two parties.
Furthermore, the Taliban’s ceasefire announcement for Eid al-Fitr has been disregarded, and Pakistan's ongoing attacks have resulted in the deaths and injuries of civilians, including women and children.
In a statement, the organization said that last week’s deadly attack on a drug addiction hospital in Kabul marked a turning point in the escalation of tensions between Kabul and Islamabad, significantly raising the level of violence.
According to this assessment, the exchange of airstrikes and artillery fire between the two sides has further soured the already fragile relations between the Taliban and Pakistan, heightening the risk of direct conflict.
The International Crisis Group also emphasized that to prevent further deadly attacks, both sides must return to the path of diplomacy and refrain from escalating hostilities.
Meanwhile, the Taliban have claimed that over 400 people were killed and 265 others wounded in the airstrike on the 2,000-bed "Omid" Hospital in Kabul.
Pakistan, for its part, accuses Afghanistan of harboring militant groups, particularly the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an allegation that Taliban officials have denied.
The Taliban have characterized Pakistan’s attacks as a violation of Afghanistan's national sovereignty and described them as “unjustifiable.”
The international body has warned that the continuation of the current trajectory could lead to an expansion of violence, especially given the increasing level of mistrust between the two countries.
At the same time, the report notes that while tensions with Pakistan may have bolstered domestic support for the Taliban government, this situation could further isolate Afghanistan on the international stage.
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