Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s spokesperson, said the group wants to resolve its growing tensions with Pakistan through dialogue, stressing that Afghan soil does not pose a threat to its neighbour.

Speaking to Khyber News TV, Mujahid said the Taliban does not allow members of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to operate inside Afghanistan.

He added, however, that recent Pakistani airstrikes in Paktika and several other parts of Afghanistan had killed women and children.

Mujahid said the Taliban does not support war and believes that the root causes of its disputes with Pakistan must be identified and addressed through talks.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said relations between Islamabad and Kabul will not return to normal unless the Taliban stops supporting TTP. He claimed that some TTP members are sheltering in Afghanistan and that their cross-border infiltration must be halted.

At the same time, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry expressed hope that the third round of talks with the Taliban scheduled for next week in Istanbul will produce tangible results.