- Afghanistan–Pakistan Skirmishes
Infobox Military Conflict
conflict= .
Date= May 13th 2007 - May 17th 2007
Place= Pakistan-Afghan border
Result= Afghan aggression onPakistan Army stopped.
combatant1= flag|Pakistan
combatant2= flag|Afghanistan
Commander1=
Commander2=
Strenght1= 80,000+ troops
Strenght2= 25,000 - 30,000 troops
Casualties1= 2 injured
Casualties2= 7 killed, 10 injuredThe Afghanistan-Pakistan Skirmishes were fighting between the armed forces of
Afghanistan and Pakistan that began on May 13th 2007.Pakistan 's military spokesman Major-General Waheed Arshad, saidAfghanistan had initiated hostilities because theAfghan National Army opened "unprovoked firing" on five or six border posts in theKurram Agency tribal region in northwestPakistan .”cite news
title=Afghanistan launches open war on Pakistan
url=http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SP327809.htm
publisher=Reuters
date=2007
accessdate=2007]Background
Prior to the conflict,
Afghanistan had long failed to control Anti-Pakistani sentiments within its borders, and Pakistan had a history of interference in Afghanistan in response to militant attacks by Pushtun Tribesmen.Afghanistan had engaged in cross-border attacks from across the border into Bajaur, Pakistan in a foolhardy, unsuccessful attempt to manipulate events in that area as far back as 1960. [http://www.onwar.com/aced/data/alpha/afghanpakist1961.htm Pashtunistan Crisis 1960-1963] ]Since the creation of Pakistan, Afghanistan has tried relentlessly to press the
Pushtunistan issue, It has tried using a propaganda war as well as military force but the Afghan military forces were routed by thePakistan military . [http://www.onwar.com/aced/data/alpha/afghanpakist1961.htm Pashtunistan Crisis 1960-1963] ] This situation exacerbated demographic tensions over theDurand Line which dividedPushtun tribes betweenAfghanistan andPakistan .Concurrently, TheSoviet Union began a nearly 10 year military occupation of Afghanistan in 1979. [Valenta, Jiri (1980). “From Prague to Kabul: The Soviet Style of Invasion”.] The Soviet Union's 1979 invasion of Afghanistan also greatly exacerbated the security ofPakistan as well forcibly expelling millions ofAfghan refugees toPakistan - believed to be the largest refugee population in the world caused severesocial andeconomic degradation of Pakistani culture. [http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/engASA110161999 REFUGEES FROM AFGHANISTAN:The world's largest single refugee group] ] During the occupation rebels named "Mujahideen " found support from a variety of sources includingCold War allies theUnited States andPakistan as well as from some other Muslim nations in the context of the Cold War. Due to the high cost and ultimate futility of the occupation theSoviet Union which began its occupation of Afghanistan on December 25, 1979 began to withdraw troops began on May 15, 1988, and formally ended its occupation on February 15, 1989 by signing theGeneva Accords (1988) . It's generally thought that the economic costs and military failure of the war were a major contributor to thecollapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. [Jyotsna Bakshi, ‘Russian Policy towards South Asia’ http://www.asiamedia.ucla.edu/Deadline/IndiaRussiaPRC Jyotsna Bakshi, ‘Russian Policy towards South Asia’] ]Beginning of conflict
At around 9:00 AM local time (06:00
UTC ) On Sunday13 May 2007 ,Afghanistan launched attacks towards five or six Pakistani military positions in theKurram tribal region in northwestPakistan .cite news | title= Up to 7 Afghan troops killed in Pakistan clash| date=2007-05-13 | publisher=Reuters | url=http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2007-05-13T180105Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_India-298019-2.xml] At the same timeAfghanistan alleges, a Pakistani military ground contingent crossed the border more than a mile into Afghanistan‘sPaktia province and killed two Afghan civilians on the Afghan side of the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.The Afghan military spokesman Gen. Mohammad Zahir Azimi also alleged the Pakistani military of usingartillery , saying the alleged attack was a clear violation.cite news | title= Pakistani, Afghan troops clash at border| date=2007-05-13 | publisher=Associated Press | url=http://www.newsone.ca/westfallweeklynews/stories/index.php?action=fullnews&id=7099] ThePakistan military spokesman Maj. Gen. Waheed Arshad denied Pakistani forces had crossed the border and instead accused the Afghan military of firing on Pakistani positions and called the firing "unprovoked and without any reason." He further stated that Pakistani forces returned fire only after being attacked by the Afghan military and that 7 Afghan soldiers had been killed whilst 3 Pakistani soldiers had been wounded.cite news | title= Up to 7 Afghan troops killed in Pakistan clash| date=2007-05-13 | publisher=Reuters | url=http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2007-05-13T180105Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_India-298019-2.xml]General Zahir Azimi, The Afghan defence ministry spokesman stated that Pakistani troops had not only crossed into
Afghanistan but that they attempted to position themselves permanently in the Jaji district of the southeasternPaktia province, He further stated that two of the Afghan civilians killed were children and that two policeman were also injured, whilst the police chief forPaktia province Abdul Rahman Sarjang stated that one policeman was killed and a further 3 wounded. The Afghan defence ministry spokesman also stated that thousands of local people joined the Afghan military and fired on Pakistani military helicopters opearting on Afghan territory and suggested that one Pakistani helicopter was destroyed byMANPAD missiles, While Pakistan Army spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad maintained that neither side crossed the border and no helicopter was shot down.cite news | title= Heavy clash between Pakistan, Afghan forces on border| date=2007-05-13 | publisher=indiaenews | url=http://www.indiaenews.com/asia/20070514/51526.htm]Afghanistan action
Timeline
* On
13 May 2007 Afghanistan launched attacks on Pakistani military outposts nearBajaur in theFederally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan, and other areas. Afghan ground soldiers enteredPakistan and attacked Pakistan military outposts. Pakistani forces acting in self-defence killed seven Afghan solders, Whilst two Pakistanis were wounded.* On
13 May 2007 Afghan civilians fire on Pakistani helicopters withMANPAD missiles, The Afghan defence spokesman maintained that one Pakistani helicopter was destroyed whilst the Pakistan army spokesman Major General Waheed Arshad denied any such incident and that no helicopter was destroyed.Pakistan action
Timeline
* On
13 May 2007 After Afghan ground soldiers enteredPakistan and attacked Pakistani military outposts. Pakistani forces acting in self-defence killed seven Afghan solders, Pakistan further responded with massive artillery fire on targets inAfghanistan . [indiaenews. [http://www.indiaenews.com/asia/20070514/51526.htm "Pakistan, Afghan forces on border"] . Retrieved May 13, 2007.]Casualties
Afghan National Army
There are currently conflicting casualty reports regarding Afghan military casualty figures and are at this point difficult to ascertain, There are claims and estimates by different groups and individuals ranging from 4 to 6 or 7.
* Seven Afghan Soldiers killed by the Pakistan Military [http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2007-05-13T180105Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_India-298019-2.xml Up to 7 Afghan troops killed in Pakistan clash] ]
Afghan civilians
Pakistan Military
Pakistani civilians
There is a new report saying 3 civilians have been killed from accidental shooting near kabul.
International action and reaction
There is yet to be any comments made by the international community on the subject.
ee also
*
History of Afghanistan
*History of Pakistan
*Durand Line
*Pushtunistan
*Soviet war in Afghanistan
* Civil war in Afghanistan
* War in Afghanistan
*War on Terrorism
*Taliban
* Military of Afghanistan
*Military of Pakistan References
External links
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