KABUL - The Haqqani network and other terrorist groups in Pakistan and along the Afghanistan border pose a continued security threat to the entire South Asian region and beyond, the US alleges.
A trilateral dialogue of the United States, India and Afghanistan in New York next month would be a way forward for deciding Afghanistan’s future, State Department spokesman John Kirby told a news briefing on Tuesday.
He tended to reject the suggestion that Secretary of State John Kerry and Defence Secretary Ash Carter were divided on Pakistan’s role in the US-led campaign against the scourge of terrorism.
Earlier in the week, Secretary Kerry said Pakistan had taken strong action against the Haqqani networkin recent months. But Carter refused in August to certify that Pakistan had done enough to counter the network. His refusal led to the suspension of $300 million of US military aid to Pakistan.
Kirbyremarked: “We all recognise the continued security threat that is posed by the Haqqani network and other terrorist groups that operate inside Pakistan and along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.”
He added the Pentagon was aware of that and the US continued to discuss the issue with its allies in the region. “I’m not aware that there’s any dissonance here in terms of the way we’re seeing it.”(Pajhwok)