US says it supports Pakistan's right to defend itself against 'terrorist attacks'

The U.S. State Department said on Thursday that Washington "supports Pakistan's right to defend itself against ​terrorist attacks" as an intermittent conflict between Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan ‌continues.

Here are some quotes and details:

• "The Pakistani people have suffered greatly at the hands of terrorists," the State Department added.


• Former allies Afghanistan ​and Pakistan fought their worst battle in years in ​February.


• The United Nations said on Monday that at least ⁠28 civilians were killed and 49 injured in airstrikes ​carried out by Pakistan on the border with Afghanistan.


• Afghanistan's Taliban ​said later in the week they launched airstrikes into Pakistani territory, while Islamabad said its forces had intercepted and shot down four rudimentary ​drones in the southern resource-rich province of Balochistan.


• Pakistan is nuclear-armed ​and its military capabilities are vastly superior to Afghanistan's.


• However, the Afghan Taliban, ‌who ⁠govern Afghanistan, are adept at guerrilla warfare, hardened by decades of fighting U.S.-led forces, before returning to power in 2021 when Washington withdrew.


• Pakistan is a major non-NATO ally of Washington. ​Ties between ​Washington and Islamabad ⁠have improved since President Donald Trump returned to the White House.


• Pakistan has also been a mediator in ​attempts to resolve the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.


• Washington ​considers the ⁠Afghan Taliban to be a terrorist group.


• Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of harboring militants that it blames for plotting attacks in Pakistan.


• The ⁠Afghan Taliban ​deny the accusations, say militancy is ​Pakistan's internal problem and argue that Pakistan is deflecting blame for its own ​security failures.

Source - Reuters