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Pakistani, Afghan commanders begin border security talks

Xinhua, January 26, 2015 Adjust font size:

Top Pakistani and Afghan commanders have opened talks on security issues, focusing on border management amid growing anti-terror cooperation, the military said Monday.

Commander Afghan Border Police, Lieutenant General, Shafiq Fazli, is leading a 10-member delegation in talks with Pakistani counterparts.

General Fazli, along with his deputy Maj. Gen. Sher Ali Shahryar and another eight border police officials, arrived in Pakistan for a five-day official visit on Sunday. "Issues related to border security will be discussed during ABP delegation visit to Pakistan,"a Pakistan army statement said. The Afghan security officials are scheduled to visit some Pakistani military areas.

Afghan security officials arrived in Islamabad just days after the visits of two top Pakistani military commanders to Afghanistan who had discussed cooperation between the security forces to effectively manage the border.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have nearly 2,500 kilometers porous border and militants routinely take advantage of the difficult terrain to cross the border whenever security forces launch operation against them on its side of the border.

Both countries have now decided to coordinate if they start security operation on their side of the border to frustrate attempt of the militants to enter the other side.

Pakistani army is presently battling the Taliban and other militant groups in North Waziristan tribal region and Afghan forces are fighting Taliban in Dangam district in eastern Kunar province, bordering Pakistan.

Afghanistan Ambassador to Pakistan, Janan Mosazai, said on Saturday that Afghan forces have killed nearly 200 militants in Kunar. Pakistani officials said that Pakistani Taliban fighters have taken shelter in Kunar and other Afghan border areas and launch attacks from there.

Afghan authorities also complain that Afghan Taliban also cross into Pakistan whenever they start action against them.

In a sign of growing military-to-military cooperation, the two uneasy neighbours have now decided to open two coordination centers along the border to share intelligence and closely monitor the illegal cross-border movement of the Taliban and other militants.

The Dec. 16 savage attack by Taliban bombers at the Army Public School in Peshawar in which 140 children and 10 staff members were massacred has led to close cooperation between the two countries on tackling the militant threat.

Afghan Taliban have also carried out several deadly attacks in Kabul and other areas following the inauguration of President Ashraf Ghani late September. They launched a major offensive in Kunar's Dangam district last month. Dangam borders Pakistan's northwestern Dir district.

The two countries have also increased cooperation following the withdrawal of most of the foreign troops from Afghanistan and end to the NATO combat mission to avoid any instability. Endi