US backs Pakistan’s concerns over terrorism from Afghanistan, Rubio says

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Washington does not want Pakistan to be targeted by terrorist attacks emanating from Afghanistan, adding that the United States would play a constructive role in addressing the issue if it could.

Speaking at a press conference in Atlanta on Saturday after the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting, Rubio said Washington had heard Pakistan’s concerns about cross-border terrorism and had also seen some of the attacks Islamabad had highlighted.

“Pakistan is concerned about terrorist attacks that are being sponsored from the territory of Afghanistan. They feel as if the Taliban have not done enough to constrain those attacks, and they have taken action against it,” Rubio said.

“We obviously have heard those concerns on their part. We obviously don’t want them to be targeted for terrorism. So if there’s a productive role for us to play, we would play it,” he added.

The US secretary of state said Washington did not necessarily have the closest relationship with the Afghan Taliban but opposed terrorism regardless of where it originated or whom it targeted.

Rubio’s remarks come amid growing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan over repeated cross-border attacks that Islamabad says are being carried out by militants operating from Afghan territory.

Pakistan has repeatedly called on the Taliban administration in Kabul to take verifiable and irreversible action against terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil, particularly the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Islamabad blames for a surge in attacks inside the country.

The Afghan Taliban have rejected Pakistan’s allegations that their territory is being used to launch attacks against Pakistan, while avoiding taking a categorical position on the TTP.

The latest exchange of statements between the two sides came on Saturday after Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid blamed Islamabad’s “wrong policies” for preventing a resolution to the tensions, insisting that Kabul was not responsible for Pakistan’s counterterrorism challenges.

Pakistan’s information ministry strongly rejected the remarks, accusing the Taliban administration of persistently refusing to address terrorism originating from Afghan territory.

In a statement, the ministry said Mujahid’s comments reflected the Taliban leadership’s “deeply misguided approach and unwillingness to confront the root cause of deteriorating relations with Pakistan”.

It said the Taliban leadership continued to blame Islamabad while ignoring what Pakistan considers the central issue undermining bilateral relations — the failure to prevent terrorist groups from using Afghan soil to carry out attacks.

“Taliban regime’s persistent refusal to address terrorism remains the principal obstacle to normal relations,” the ministry said.

Pakistan has also raised the issue at international forums, urging the international community to press Kabul to take concrete action against terrorist sanctuaries operating across the border.

Rubio’s remarks signal Washington’s support for Pakistan’s concerns over cross-border terrorism, although he did not announce any specific initiative or mechanism to address the issue.