United States Supports Pakistan Against Taliban Offensive in Afghanistan
Diplomatic support is flowing from Washington to Islamabad amid escalating armed confrontation between Pakistan and the Taliban in Afghanistan.
The United States has openly stated its backing for Pakistan’s right to self-defence following a series of air strikes and fierce clashes in the border region that have claimed the lives of dozens of military personnel and hundreds of Taliban fighters.
The statement of support was reinforced by US Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, through the X platform following intensive coordination with Pakistani officials. Hooker stated that Washington continues to monitor the situation closely and acknowledges Islamabad’s military actions as a form of self-protection against aggression emanating from Afghan territory.
The escalation reached a critical point after Kabul announced retaliatory strikes against Pakistan last Thursday, responding to Pakistan’s air operations conducted in Afghan territory the previous weekend.
In response to the deteriorating situation, US President Donald Trump signalled Washington’s involvement, emphasizing the importance of good relations between both countries. “I will (intervene). But I have very, very good relations with Pakistan. They are doing very well,” Trump said, according to TRT World.
On the ground, Pakistan’s military has responded to the Taliban threat by deploying heavy artillery fire and continuous air strikes targeting strategic positions in Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia.
As a domestic security measure, Pakistani authorities have also imposed a national ban on all drone operations, citing security stability and counter-terrorism operational effectiveness.
Data from Pakistan’s military recorded at least 12 soldiers killed and 27 others wounded in the cross-border firefight.
Conversely, Military Spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry claimed that approximately 274 Taliban regime operatives were killed and 400 others wounded as a result of coordinated operations by Pakistan’s Air Force. Chaudhry affirmed that the operations were precision-targeted, focusing on corps headquarters, ammunition depots, and Afghan military logistics facilities whilst avoiding civilian targets.