Pak-Afghan hostility impeding US troops operations in the region: WP

Washington, July 5 (ANI): The United States is hoping to get support from the Pakistan Army in its offensive in Afghanistan, but the hostility between Pakistan and Afghanistan is not allowing the US-led allied forces to carry out an all out offensive in the region and is impeding their success, The Washington Post reports.

The U.S. troops are struggling to overcome decades of enmity between Afghanistan and Pakistan in the rough terrains of the border area, the report said.

Top US and Pakistan military officials have increased efforts to claim back the troubled region from the insurgents, but all such efforts have failed on the ground, it added.

"It's a strange relationship, considering we're supposed to be allies," a top US military commander, who is in-charge of the region, Lieutenant Gabe Lamois said.

The US officials are of the view that Pakistani troops present in the area should assist them against the militants, rather than opposing the Afghan Army's move.

"I am not sure why the Pakistanis are even here, except to stick a thumb in the eye of the Afghans," said Major Jason Dempsey, who is the No. 3 officer in the U.S. battalion on the Pakistan-Afghan border.

Pakistani has long been opposing the Afghans for building a fort on the ridgeline between the two countries. Islamabad believes that Afghanistan wants to grab the Pashtun tribal lands on its side of the border, the report went on to add.

U.S. officials said that they must have the support of 'deeply suspicious' Pakistani forces to stop the flow of Taliban fighters across the 90-mile stretch of border.

They said that a border coordination center on the Afghan side where commanders from all three countries could plan operations should be operationalised in order to counter and address the real threat.

"Our goal is to get everyone focused on the common enemy," Dempsey said. (ANI)