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Pakistan Rejects Afghan Allegations Over Kunduz Fighting


An Afghan soldier raises his hands as a victory sign, in Kunduz city, Oct. 2, 2015.
An Afghan soldier raises his hands as a victory sign, in Kunduz city, Oct. 2, 2015.

Pakistan has rejected Afghan allegations that its security officials were involved in recent fighting in northern Afghanistan.

"The allegations leveled by an Afghan official are totally unfounded, baseless, uncalled for and mischievous," a military spokesman said Tuesday.

The Taliban had briefly overrun northern Afghan city of Kunduz more than a week ago in an attack that surprised many in and outside Afghanistan because it was the first time the insurgents captured an urban center in 14 years. Afghan security forces retook the city three days later and are currently engaged in clearing operations.

Smoke rises from an unknown point in Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan. Oct. 1, 2015.
Smoke rises from an unknown point in Kunduz city, north of Kabul, Afghanistan. Oct. 1, 2015.

Addressing a public gathering in Kunduz on Monday, Afghan deputy army chief of staff General Murad Ali Murad alleged that Pakistani security forces and intelligence agency helped the Taliban plan and execute the multi-pronged assault on the strategically-located city.

"Such accusations are not a responsible behavior and need not be repeated in the better interest of addressing the actual threat," said the Pakistani spokesman.

He added that Pakistan has condemned the Taliban attack of Kunduz and has already supported an "Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process, such allegations are not even comprehensible."

Taliban commanders and fighters allegedly use Pakistani soil for planning attacks, according Afghan officials. Islamabad had hosted an initial round of Afghan peace talks in early July between the Taliban and the Kabul government. Talks were suspended indefinitely after it was revealed that Taliban supreme leader, Mullah Omar, had died two years ago.

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