PESHAWAR: With US withdrawing forces from Afghanistan, it is a virtual free-for-all for rogue outfits.
This was more than manifest when a captain and 11 soldiers of the Pakistan Army were killed in a major terror attack on security forces in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Reports suggest some civilians working in the region had been taken hostage by the terrorists.
The deceased officer has been identified as Captain Abdul Basit. Nearly 15 soldiers were reportedly been injured in the attack.
The Pakistan Army has mounted a retaliatory operation in Khurram region. According to local media reports, Capt Basit was leading a Pakistan Army rescue mission.
Given the fluid situation with Taliban retaking land and capturing key cities, the government of Afghanistan may, at some point, seek India's military assistance, the country's Ambassador to India has said. He, however, made it clear that the aid sought would not involve sending troops but could be in areas like training and technical support, reports NDTV.
Representatives of the Taliban and the Afghanistan government have been holding talks back-channel even as the US looks to bring down curtains on its almost two-decade war by the end of August. However, the peace talks supposedly taking place in Doha have largely fizzled out, and the Taliban now appear set on a complete military victory, AFP reported today.
"Should we not get to a stage in the peace process with the Taliban, then maybe a time (will come) where we would be seeking India's military assistance," Farid Mamundzay, Afghanistan's Ambassador to India, told NDTV.
