RAWALPINDI: The
drone strike on January 24 in Spintal, Hangu district was on
individual target who had
morphed into Afghan Refugees and not any organized terrorists sanctuary which have been eliminated.
Out of total 54
Afghan Refugees/complexes in Pakistan, 43 are in KP with overlap in FATA (complexes in Hangu including where
drone struck on 24 Jan 18, shown on map).
This validates Pakistan?s stance that left over terrorists easily morph
into Afghan Refugees camps/complexes. Thus their early and dignified return to Afghanistan is essential.
Pakistan?s brotherly hospitality to peaceful
Afghan Refugees must not be exploited by the terrorists.
Earlier, Pakistan?s Foreign Office maintained that the
drone attack in Kurram Agency
targeted an
Afghan refugee camp in tribal area after a US statement said that the
drone strike hit militant hideout.
The
drone strike, which took place well inside Pakistani territory on Wednesday, killed two people .
US Embassy in a statement earlier today stated that Pakistan´s claim that the
drone strike hit a refugee camp is "false".
The Foreign Office spokesman condemned the "unilateral action" late Wednesday, saying it had
targeted an
Afghan refugee camp, but made no mention of casualties.
"The claim in (a foreign ministry) statement yesterday that US forces struck an
Afghan refugee camp in Kurram Agency yesterday is false," a spokesman for the US embassy in Islamabad said.
The FO spokesman said there are two refugee camps in the area, and that the
drone hit one of them.
"Pakistan condemned the
drone strike in Kurram Agency carried out by the Resolute Support Mission (RSM) yesterday, which
targeted an
Afghan refugee camp," the spokesman said.
Pakistan rejects US claim of targeting militant hideout in Kurram drone attack
Pakistan´s foreign ministry condemned the
"Pakistan has also been stressing the need of early repatriation of
Afghan refugees, as their presence in Pakistan helps
Afghan terrorists to melt and morph among them."
Nearly 1.4 million
Afghan Refugees remain in Pakistan, according to UNHCR figures. Unofficial estimates suggest a further 700,000 undocumented
Refugees could be in the country.
After Washington froze aid to Pakistan worth almost $2 billion this month, Islamabad set a deadline of January 31 for all the
Refugees to return to Afghanistan. Such deadlines have been repeatedly extended in the past.
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