Pakistan summons Afghanistan's diplomat to deliver strong demarche over Dera Ismail Khan attack

Islamabad [Pakistan], December 13 : Pakistan's Foreign Office on Tuesday called on the Taliban to investigate the suicide attack in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Dera Ismail Khan, which claimed the lives of more than 20 soldiers. Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Syrus Sajjad Qazi summoned Afghanistan's top diplomat in Islamabad to deliver Pakistan's strong demarche, Pakistan-based Geo News reported.

Pakistan's Foreign office said, "The attack's responsibility has been claimed by the Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan, a terrorist group affiliated with the TTP." According to the statement, Afghanistan's envoy has been asked to convey to Taliban to fully investigate the attack and take stern action against the perpetrators of the attack, including Dera Ismail Khan.

Pakistan's Foreign Service's statement comes after at least 23 soldiers were killed after terrorists rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a Pakistani military base, Geo News reported, citing the Pakistani army. The affiliates of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack. Six terrorists, all of whom were killed later, attacked the outpost in the Dera Ismail Khan in the early hours of Tuesday, the military's media wing said in a statement.

Qazi demanded that the Taliban publicly condemn the terrorist attack and take immediate verifiable actions against all terrorist groups. Pakistan's Foreign Secretary said that Afghanistan should arrest and hand over the perpetrators of the attack and the TTP leadership in Afghanistan to the Pakistani government, according to Geo News report.

"[They] should also take all necessary measures to deny the persistent use of Afghan soil for terrorism against Pakistan," the statement released by Pakistan's foreign office said.

Pakistan's Foreign Office said, "We must act resolutely with all our collective might to defeat this menace. On its part, Pakistan remains steadfast in its commitment to combat terrorism," Geo News reported.

The Pakistani army's media wing said Dera Ismail Khan had "witnessed heightened activities" overnight and a total of 27 terrorists were killed in firefights with troops in the area.

Pakistan has witnessed a rise in terrorist attacks in recent months as the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) and other terror groups have intensified their attacks against security forces. The rise in TTP attacks has intensified its attacks against security forces after its ceasefire with the Pakistan government ended in November last year.

In a report released in October, Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) said that 386 security personnel lost their lives in the first nine months of 2023, reaching an eight-year high, according to Geo News report.

In the third quarter of 2023, some 445 people were killed and 440 others were injured from 190 terror attacks and counter-terror operations, Geo News reported.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan were the primary centres of violence, accounting for nearly 94 per cent of all fatalities and 89 per cent of attacks, including incidents of terrorism and security forces operations recorded during this time.

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