UNITED NATIONS, Oct 13 (APP): UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres Monday expressed concern over the weekend border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and urged the two neighbouring countries to resolve their differences peacefully.
“We are monitoring the situation between Afghanistan and Pakistan with concern,” UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Aziz Haq said in response to a question at the regular noon briefing at UN Headquarters in New York.
“We want to make sure that the two countries are able to work out their differences in a peaceful manner and that further clashes are avoided,” Farhan Haq added.
Deadly border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan started late on Saturday night and continued into Sunday morning, after Afghan troops opened fire on Pakistani army posts along the border. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that 23 troops were martyred and 200 Taliban and affiliated terrorists were killed when Pakistan responded to the aggression by Afghanistan.
Asked whether the UN chief had contacted the leadership of the two countries, Farhan Haq said that he was traveling and was now in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, attending the Gaza Peace Summit, and would do so on return to New York.