22 Pakistan & ISIS terrorists killed during US-Afghanistan joint military action in Nangarhar

Kabul : The US and the Afghan military forces have killed 22 terrorists in an operation conducted near the border of Pakistan. The Afghan machinery has informed that amongst those killed are seven Pakistani terrorists. This has been the first joint action by the US and Afghan military troops ever since the US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a new Afghan policy. It appears that the action taken by the US and the Afghanistan Governments was a gesture of warning to Pakistan, long before Pakistan’s Army Chief, General ‘Qamar Javed Bajwa’ could arrive in Afghanistan.

According to the Afghan news agency, the Afghan secret machinery had received information that some terrorists had been hiding in the province of ‘Nangarhar’ in the eastern Afghanistan. On the basis of this information, the US and the Afghan military forces jointly launched special operations in ‘Nazian’ and ‘Lalpur’ areas of Nangarhar province.

In an operation carried out by the Afghan army seven Pakistani terrorists were killed in the ‘Bila’ area in Lalpur. While in an airstrike carried out by the US Army 15 ‘IS’ terrorists were killed in the ‘Spinzhai’ area of ’Nazian’. The US has claimed that it has destroyed two ‘IS’ hideouts. No terrorist organization has reacted to the information publicized by the US and the Afghan Army.

Last week, five ‘IS’ terrorists had been killed in an air strike conducted by the United States in the ‘Haska Mina’ area in the Nangarhar province. While the Afghan security forces captured two ‘IS’ militants. Apart from this, the US and the Afghan military forces have launched anti ‘Taliban’ and ‘IS’ actions in Nangarhar province. Besides Nangarhar, the US and the Afghan forces have started actions against terrorism in other provinces too. However, it is for the first time last month, that the US and Afghan forces jointly took action in Nangarhar province.

Last month, US President Donald Trump while announcing the new Afghan policy declared that the military presence in Afghanistan would be increased. Besides the military presence, Trump had given orders to intensify anti-terrorism operations in Afghanistan. While blaming the terror organizations in Pakistan for destabilizing Afghanistan, President Trump held Pakistan directly responsible for this. Two days back, the US Secretary of Defense James Mattis, also laid emphasis on the same issue while on his visit to Afghanistan and directed Pakistan to take action against the terrorists along the border.

It is on this backdrop, Pakistan’s Army Chief General Bajwa arrived in Afghanistan on Sunday to meet the Afghan President Ghani. It is claimed by Pakistan that it would attempt to bring stability in Afghanistan, and thus Bajwa would invite the Afghan Government to participate in peace talks with Taliban, which Pakistan has sponsored.