Highlights
Afghanistan's Taliban responded to claims of Pakistan that India played a major role in the recent border conflict between the neighboring countries, stating it as a "proxy war of India." The Taliban has rejected them all as "baseless."
Few days ago, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, while speaking with the local media claimed that the Taliban Government is "fighting a proxy war" on behalf of India. This followed a rebuttal from the latter.
After a week long clash across the border which killed over a dozen soldiers of both sides, Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed on a ceasefire on October 19. The talks held in Doha were facilitated by Qatar and Turkiye.
Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob, the Defence Minister of Afghanistan and the son of late Taliban founder Mullah Omar, said that all accusations of Pakistan are baseless, and its relations with New Delhi and Islamabad are solely guided by national interest.
While speaking with Al Jazeera in an interview, Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid said, "These claims are baseless. Afghanistan has never allowed its territory to be used against any other country. We are an independent nation and our relations with India and Pakistan are guided solely by national interest."
Adding, "These accusations that Pakistan is making are baseless and not supported by reality. These accusations are not true and are not acceptable and will only complicate the issue rather than resolve them."
Afghanistan and Pakistan engaged in a conflict on October 9, when the former accused the latter for bombings on Kabul. On the October 11-12 weekend, Afghanistan launched a retaliatory attack. Further conflict claimed lives of soldiers and civilians. Then, the two sides declared an initial 48-hour ceasefire on October 15.
Then again on October 17, Pakistani strikes hit Afghanistan. To which, Pakistan responded that it was targeting armed groups. A second ceasefire was agreed on October 19.