Afghan media reports says Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government has that Tajik and Pakistani nationals have been responsible for most of the attacks inside the country since the extremist group took power and that dozens of the alleged perpetrators have been killed or arrested.

TOLOnews reports that speaking at a news conference of the Security and Clearing Affairs Commission, in the government media center, Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, the acting Taliban Defense Minister, stated on December 31 that that during their operations in recent years, several of Tajikistan and Pakistan fighters were killed and dozens of others were arrested.

Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid was cited as saying that after the Islamic Emirate came into power, the attacks on mosques, monasteries, religious scholars and public gatherings were all carried out by foreigners, especially the citizens of Tajikistan.  

“Dozens of Tajikistan citizens have been killed in our operations and dozens of others have been arrested.  Also, in the second step, Pakistani citizens have been involved in organizing many attacks.  More than twenty Pakistani citizens have been killed in the operations of our security forces, and dozens of others have been arrested alive,” he stated.

However, the acting Taliban defense minister didn’t provide evidence during the news conference. 

He further emphasized that any military action against the Islamic Emirate is considered a rebellion, and whoever rebels against the Islamic Emirate, the forces of the caretaker government are committed to destroy them.

Mujahid also said there has been a 90% decrease in attacks by an Islamic State group affiliate in the past year.

The militant group has carried out major assaults on schools, hospitals, and mosques, and has also attacked Shiite areas across the country.

Mawlawi Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid once again asked the neighboring countries to seriously control their land and air borders.

He also gave statistics that the security forces have stopped 99% of smuggling of money, gems and currencies from inside Afghanistan over the past year.

The acting Taliban defense minister reportedly rejected the allegations about the smuggling and sale of weapons left by foreign forces and said that a commission has been set up to maintain these weapons.   

He also emphasized that 20 provinces of the country have a common border with six countries that have established 63 military bases, 108 military centers, and 600 security stations with all facilities and equipment to fight possible threats in these areas, according to TOLonews.

The Associated Press (AP) says tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan have been high over claims by Islamabad that Afghanistan is providing a safe haven for terror groups who conduct operations inside Pakistan.  Islamabad has also cracked down on more than 1.7 million “undocumented foreigners,” predominantly Afghans, living in the country.

Citing Pakistani media outlets, Afghanistan’s Khaama Press News Agency reported on December 24 that 1,159 Afghan migrants returned to their country.

Khaama Press notes that according to the statistics of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), about 23.7 million people in Afghanistan in 2024, which is more than half of the population of the country, need humanitarian aid.