Military tanks being moved to Pakistan will be targeted: MoI

During a visit to assess the security situation of Paktia province on Saturday, the acting interior minister Abdul Satar Mirzakwal confirmed that there have been reports of government military tanks being moved across the border to Pakistan following the fall of districts in Afghanistan.

Mirzkwal warned that if security forces detect movement of this type the air force will target the tanks.

“They [Taliban] want to transport some tanks to Pakistan via Zabul. The Security Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces has been tasked to launch regular air patrols and target any tanks entering Pakistan,” Mirzkwal said.

Mirzkwal also said that a commission will be appointed to investigate how the districts are falling, and those who have been negligent in this regard will be prosecuted.

This comes after the Taliban captured at least nine districts in Paktia in the past ten days. Government forces recently recaptured two districts from the group, and clashes between Taliban militants and Afghan forces are ongoing in parts of Paktia province.