Afghanistan/Pakistan

Attacks in Pakistan justified, Karzai

Article published on the 2008-06-15 Latest update 2008-06-16 11:06 TU

Afghan President Hamid Karzai holds a news conference June 15, 2008
(Credit: Reuters)

Aghanistan has the right to attack Taliban insurgents on Pakistani soil in self-defence, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said at a press conference Sunday. Karzai has repeatedly accused Pakistan of not doing enough to prevent insurgents in the tribal areas from slipping into Afghanistan.

"When they cross the border from Pakistan to come and kill Afghans and coalition troops, it gives us exactly the right to go back and do the same," said Karzai.

His warnings come days after Pakistan condemned a US-led forces air strike on the lawless border between the two countries that killed eleven Pakistani soldiers.

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani fired back on television on Sunday, saying that Pakistan would neither interfere in the internal affairs of any country, nor allow anyone to interfere in its affairs.

He said that statements such as Karzai's "will not help in the normalisation of friendly relations between the two countries", adding that he wanted to maintain friendly ties with Kabul.

Afghanistan suffered a setback on Saturday when a suicide bomber blasted a hole in a prison in Kandahar, southern Afghanistan, freeing 1,100 prisoners, including a number of Talban insurgents.

Karzai also issued special warnings to two Taliban leaders, including Pakistani warlord Baitullah Mahsud, one of two people accused by Islamabad of assassinating former premier Benazir Bhutto.

Mahsud has  vowed to continue to fight in Afghanistan while pursuing peace negotiations with the new government in Islamabad.