Afghan Foreign Minister Rangeen Dadfar Spanta has said Pakistan needs to do more to stop militant groups from crossing its border and launching attacks against Afghan civilians and US-led coalition troops. The foreign minister made these remarks in an interview with VOA.
Spanta's visit to Washington coincides with a spike in attacks by Taleban militants in their former strongholds in southern and eastern Afghanistan. At least 600 people, mostly insurgents, have died in recent weeks in heavy fighting between international troops and remnants of the Taliban militia.
The Afghan foreign minister has charged that Taliban leaders in Pakistan's rugged tribal areas were co-ordinating attacks inside Afghanistan. Islamabad denies granting sanctuary to the militants. Pakistan says it has 80,000 soldiers operating in areas bordering Afghanistan and hundreds of its soldiers have been killed fighting insurgents backed by the Taleban and al Qaeda.
The Afghan foreign minister said terrorists fighting inside Afghanistan were trained and financed abroad, and then are coming across the border from Pakistan to launch attacks.
"We believe there is not enough activity against terrorist groups outside Afghanistan in neighbouring countries," he said. "Our Pakistani friends, they believe they can't have control of the centers of terrorist groups. But we hope, and we are ready to have better consultation and better co-operation in anti-terror war with our Pakistani friends."
The current violence in Afghanistan is the worst since Taleban leaders were ousted in late 2001 by US-led forces. The insurgents have mounted numerous attacks, including raids, ambushes and suicide bombings since early May.
Spanta said one reason for the upsurge was that Afghan security forces, especially in the south, are weak. "Our security forces in the southern part of Afghanistan are very weak in intelligence, in weapons, in vehicles and communications and training problems," he said.