Pakistan says Bannu attack coordinated from Afghanistan

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday that recent militant attacks inside the country, including the attack in Bannu that killed 15, had been organized from Afghanistan’s territory.

“Our assessment indicates that this attack was conducted by terrorists based in Afghanistan,” Pakistan foreign ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi told reporters.

He added that Pakistan had formally raised the matter with the Taliban and urged them to take “immediate, concrete and verifiable action” against militant groups, including the Pakistani Taliban, ISIS-K and what he referred to as “Fitna al-Hind.”

Pakistan also summoned the Taliban’s representative in Islamabad following the attack, according to the ministry.

Taliban have repeatedly denied that armed groups are operating from Afghanistan’s territory or using the country to launch attacks against neighboring nations.

This comes amid renewed strains between Pakistan and Taliban despite China-mediated talks between the sides in Urumqi in April.

In recent days, senior Pakistani officials, including military and defense leaders, have again warned of possible military action if Taliban fail to address Pakistan’s security concerns.

The latest tensions follow months of border clashes, airstrikes and diplomatic disputes between the two sides.

Earlier this week, a UN report said that fighting and cross-border attacks between Pakistan and Taliban forces from January through March killed 372 civilians and wounded 397 others, including women and children.

The report said 269 people were killed in a Pakistani strike on the Omid Center near Kabul.

Despite increasingly sharp rhetoric from Islamabad, Taliban have largely remained publicly silent in recent days.

Sources previously told Amu TV that Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada had instructed Taliban officials and local authorities to avoid publicly criticizing Pakistan.

Analysts say repeated negotiations between Pakistan and Taliban authorities have so far failed to resolve disputes over militant groups operating in the region and broader security tensions along the border.