Citing its information, Pakistan says Taliban not carrying out reprisals in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON, Sep 03 (APP):Pakistan has reportedly questioned reports that the Taliban are carrying out revenge attacks in Afghanistan — including claims that the group has been executing its perceived enemies in door-to-door raids, saying they were not doing so, Politico, an American online news service, said Friday, citing leaked documents.

The Issue came up during a meeting Ervin Massinga, senior Advisor to the State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA), had with Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Asad Majeed Khan on Aug 26, the day that some 170 Afghans and 13 U.S. troops were killed in a bombing at the Kabul airport, which the U.S. was using to help evacuate at-risk Afghans, Americans and others.

Ambassador Khan told the American official that, according to Pakistani “ground observations,” the Taliban “were not seeking retribution, and in fact were going home to home to assure Afghans that there will not be reprisals,” Politico said, citing parts of a memo circulated among U.S. diplomats.

Massinga, the State Department official, is, according to Politico, described in the memo as noting that “he has seen reporting to the contrary and hopes the Taliban do not seek revenge.”

The Pakistani embassy in Washington made no immediate comments on the Politico story, and a State Department spokesman was quoted as saying, “We don’t comment on leaked documents, nor do we comment on private diplomatic conversations.”

During the meeting, the news service said, the Pakistani ambassador expressed condolences over the deaths at the Kabul airport and offered the use of Pakistani medical facilities. Massinga used the moment to indicate that Pakistan could help on other fronts, Politico said.

“Acknowledging the tragedy, Massinga underscored the mutual interest Pakistan and the United States have in targeting ISIS-K and al-Qa’ida,” the description states.

In response, Politico said, the Pakistani ambassador “acknowledged ISIS-K was a common enemy for the Taliban as well.”

Massinga expressed appreciation for Pakistan’s role in helping evacuees get out of Afghanistan, Politico said, referring to the meeting notes.