Islamabad: Forty-six Afghan soldiers sought refuge in Pakistan after losing control of military positions across the border following advances by Taliban insurgents, Pakistan’s army said on Monday.
Hundreds of Afghan army soldiers and civil officials have fled to neighbouring Tajikistan, Iran and Pakistan in recent weeks after Taliban offensives in border areas.
The Afghan military commander requested refuge at the border crossing in Chitral within the north, the Pakistan army said during a statement, adding the soldiers got safe passage into Pakistan on Sunday night after clearance from Afghan authorities.
“Afghan soldiers are provided food, shelter and necessary medical aid as per established military norms,” the statement said.
The move comes at a time of poor relations between the neighbours. Afghanistan recalled its diplomats from Pakistan after the brief kidnapping of the Afghan ambassador’s daughter in Islamabad earlier within the month.
Afghan officials didn’t answer an invitation for comment.
The Taliban has escalated its offensive since the us announced in April that it might withdraw its troops by September, ending a 20-year foreign military presence.
Washington has said it’ll still perform air strikes to support Afghan forces facing insurgent attacks.
Afghan government and Taliban negotiators have met in Qatar’s capital, Doha, in recent weeks, although diplomats say there are few signs of substantive progress since peace talks began in September.
Reeling from battlefield losses, Afghanistan’s military is overhauling its war strategy against the Taliban to concentrate forces around critical areas like Kabul and other cities, border crossings and vital infrastructure, Afghan and U.S. officials have said.
The Pakistan army said the soldiers who sought refuge are going to be returned to Afghanistan after due process of law , as had taken place within the case of another batch of 35 soldiers earlier in July.
