Afghan president threatens Pakistan: Warnings of a wider war

Tensions have been building between the two countries for some time, but this is the first time Kabul has issued such a blunt threat to Islamabad since US-led forces invaded Afghanistan to topple the Taliban regime in 2001. At the time, Washington enlisted the backing of then-Pakistani military dictator Pervez Musharraf for the invasion and the subsequent installation of Karzais puppet regime.

Speaking at a press conference, Karzai claimed that [W]hen they (Taliban forces) cross the territory from Pakistan to come and kill Afghans and to kill coalition troops it gives us the right to go back and do the same. He warned Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud that his forces would go after him now and hit him in his house. He likewise threatened Taliban leader Mullah Omar, declaring that Afghanistan has the right of self-defence.

Karzais desperate threat came in the wake of the loss of 15 troops from Afghan and NATO forces in several incidents, and an attack on a prison in southern city of Kandahar in which the Taliban released over 1,000 prisoners, including many of its own members. In the prison attack, about 30 security forces were killed. Adding to this humiliation, another attack saw the governor of Helmand injured and his police chief killed.

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