US urges 'restraint' to ensure civilians are not harmed amid strikes in Pakistan and Afghanistan

By Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US on Monday urged the Taliban to ensure that terrorist attacks are not launched from Afghan soil and urged Pakistan to ensure that "civilians are not harmed in their counterterrorism efforts."

Speaking to reporters, State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said that the US "deeply" regrets the loss of life and "injustice" sustained during an attack in Pakistan’s North Waziristan district in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which neighbors Afghanistan, and the loss of civilian lives during a strike in Afghanistan.

"We urge the Taliban to ensure that terrorist attacks are not launched from Afghan soil and we urge Pakistan to exercise restraint and ensure civilians are not harmed in their counterterrorism efforts," Patel said.

"And we urge both sides to address any differences. We remain committed to ensuring that Afghanistan never again becomes a safe haven for terrorists who wish to harm the United States and our partners and allies," he added, alluding to the 2001 attacks on the New York and the Pentagon.

Earlier Monday, interim Afghan administration spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said that Pakistani military aircraft had struck homes, killing eight people, including three children and five women, in the southeastern Paktika and Khost provinces.

Islamabad confirmed that its forces carried out the attacks on militant targets and gave assurances of its respect for Afghanistan’s sovereignty.

Later, Kabul launched its own retaliatory attacks, hitting Pakistani military installations across the border.

This came after at least seven Pakistani troops were killed by militants in North Waziristan's Mir Ali area on Saturday.

Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of failing to prevent militants from the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a conglomerate of various militant groups, from carrying out attacks in Pakistan before returning to Afghanistan for refuge. Afghanistan has denied the charges.