Taliban minister accuses Pakistan of providing airspace for US drones
- Afghan Defence Minister Mohammad Yaqoob said US drones have been entering Afghanistan via Pakistan, which he calls a ‘clear violation’
- Pakistani authorities have denied involvement in a drone strike the US said it carried out in July that killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri
The Taliban’s acting Defence Minister said on Sunday that Pakistan had allowed US drones to use its airspace to access Afghanistan, which Pakistan’s foreign minister denied.
Pakistani authorities have previously denied involvement in or advanced knowledge of a drone strike the United States said it carried out in Kabul in July that killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Afghan acting Defence Minister Mohammad Yaqoob told a news conference in Kabul that American drones had been entering Afghanistan via Pakistan.
“According to our information the drones are entering through Pakistan to Afghanistan, they use Pakistan’s airspace, we ask Pakistan, don’t use your airspace against us,” Yaqoob said.
A spokesperson for the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) declined to comment.
Pakistan’s foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari told Reuters he had made checks after the air strike and had been told that Pakistani airspace was not used. He said he would check again after Sunday’s allegations but expected the position to be the same.
“I really don’t believe that this is a time that I wish to get into a debate with anyone or to have accusations … frankly, I’m focused on the flood relief efforts,” Bhutto-Zardari said in an interview, referring to deadly floods in Pakistan that have left millions of people homeless.