Afghanistan’s Vice President Amrullah Saleh has said that Pakistan has threatened to use its air force against the Afghan National Army as the Taliban resurgence continues after the withdrawal of the foreign forces, particularly the United States.
Saleh said via his Twitter account, “The Pakistan Air Force has given an official warning to the Afghan Army and Air Force that any attempt to drive the Taliban out of the Spin Boldak area will be met with resistance. In some areas, the Pakistani air force is currently providing close air support to the Taliban.”
Breaking: Pakistan air force has issued official warning to the Afghan Army and Air Force that any move to dislodge the Taliban from Spin Boldak area will be faced and repelled by the Pakistan Air Force. Pak air force is now providing close air support to Taliban in certain areas
— Amrullah Saleh (@AmrullahSaleh2) July 15, 2021
The Taliban and the Pakistani military regard Amrullah Saleh as a thorn in their flesh, and as one of the most powerful leaders in the new Afghanistan, he has faced assassination attempts in the past.
Saleh had previously served as Afghanistan’s Minister of Interior Affairs and the head of the National Directorate of Security, leading successful operations against the Taliban.
Now he claims that the Pakistan Air Force is providing close air support to the Taliban forces fighting the Afghan Army and that he has evidence that Pakistan has warned the Afghan military not to attack the Taliban from the Spin Buldak area near the Balochistan border.
Spin Buldak is not far from Quetta, the capital of Balochistan which is also home to the Taliban leadership and also an important hub for communication and logistics.
As of now, nearly 90 percent of US troops and equipment have already left Afghanistan, and as the Taliban captures more territory it has also managed to get hold lot of military hardware left behind by fleeing Afghan government soldiers and from those who surrendered. The inevitability of a Taliban takeover of Kabul seems certain after it was driven out nearly 20 years ago.
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