US calls on Afghanistan-Pakistan to end tensions

The United States has called on Afghanistan and Pakistan to peacefully resolve their tensions after border clashes between the two countries.

“We are all watching the tensions very closely,” US State Department spokesman John Kirby said at a regular briefing and added that the United States was in touch with officials on both sides. “We continue to urge a calm resolution to the tension.”

Pakistan lodged a strong protest with the Afghan government over unprovoked firing by the Afghan forces that also injured a Pakistani solider and nine civilians.

The firing was aimed at disrupting the construction of a gate well inside Pakistani territory at the border to facilitate cross-border movement of people and vehicle.

The spokesman said that the United States did not want to see violence and any further escalation in tension. He said Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Ambassador Richard Olson, who was in the region at the time of the incident, shared these sentiments.

“Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Ambassador Richard Olson, who was in the region at the time of the incident, shared these sentiments,” Kirby said.

This comes as Pakistani troops today fired heavy artillery at Afghan forces at their main Khyber Pass border crossing.

Waging a prolonged war in Afghanistan, the US and other NATO countries have realized that after the withdrawal of foreign troops, Afghanistan would be thrown in an era of uncertainly and civil war.

They realize the fact that there is a co-relationship of terrorism or stability in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Hence, US-led developed nations which also spent billions of dollars for the development of Afghanistan have repeatedly agreed that without Islamabad’s help, stability cannot be achieved there.