Kerry warns Pakistan on Afghanistan stability
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- There are "disturbing" signs Pakistan＇s government knows about insurgents crossing from their country into Afghanistan, U.S. Sen. John Kerry said Sunday as he toured the region.
"Yes, there are insurgents coming across the border," he said at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. "Yes, they are operating out of north Waziristan (Pakistan) and other areas of the sanctuaries and yes, there is some evidence of Pakistan government knowledge of some of these activities in ways that is very disturbing."
There are "deep reservations" among some American lawmakers about whether Pakistan shares Washington＇s goals in the region, he added, visiting Afghanistan two weeks after U.S. Navy SEALs tracked down Osama bin Laden and killed him in Pakistan.
But, he said, "Pakistan has supported our efforts to diminish the capacity of al Qaeda over the last several years. Pakistan has allowed us to have intelligence personnel operating in Pakistan in ways that helped us to capture Osama bin Laden."
"That said, we are at a moment where we have to resolve some very serious issues. They understand that, we understand that," said Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat and the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The May 2 death of bin Laden opens the possibility for a "new phase" of American operations in the region, he said.
Combat continues in Afghanistan unabated, two incidents Sunday show.
A British Marine was killed in Afghanistan Sunday, the British Ministry of Defence announced.
He was killed by an improvised explosive device while involved in an operation to search a compound in Helmand Province, the ministry said, adding that his family had been told of his death.
And a Taliban leader and two associates were captured in Balkh province, NATO＇s International Security Assistance Force announced.
A joint Afghan-coalition security force captured the deputy governing Taliban official for the province, and killed an insurgent, ISAF said. |
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