ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — The Pakistani Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday that it had summoned the deputy head of mission of the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad, currently overseen by the Taliban, to lodge a formal protest over a recent attack on the Bannu Cantonment.
The July 15 attack, attributed to the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, resulted in the deaths of eight security personnel and left several others injured, according to a ministry statement. Pakistan asserts that the militant group is based in Afghanistan.
“Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, along with Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of civilians and law enforcement officials,” the statement read.
The Foreign Ministry called on the Taliban to conduct a thorough investigation and to take immediate, robust action against those responsible for the attack. It also urged the Afghan authorities to prevent future attacks against Pakistan originating from Afghan soil.
A recent United Nations report highlighted that a member state identified the TTP as the largest terrorist group operating in Afghanistan.
