United News of Bangladesh

Saudi Arabia has reopened its main international airport more than two weeks after deadly strikes by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels forced the facility to suspend operations. The kingdom's military said it intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile and a drone launched by the Houthis early Sunday. Meanwhile, a large-scale Israeli military operation in the occupied West Bank over the weekend has displaced hundreds of Palestinians and imposed severe restrictions on their movement. The operation followed an attack in Hebron on Friday that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others. The developments come days before Israel's election on Tuesday, widely viewed as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of regional wars and his government's right-wing policies at home and abroad. Riyadh airport resumes international flights King Khalid International Airport announced that terminals 1 and 2 reopened for domestic and international flights on Sunday as Houthi rebels continued launching missiles and drones towards the Saudi capital. Saudi military spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki said the military intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile and a drone fired by the Houthis early Sunday. Houthi strikes in early October hit a complex housing two other airport terminals, killing 17 people and injuring more than 330. The airport resumed limited domestic operations last week. Israeli military expands West Bank operation The Israeli military launched a major operation in the occupied West Bank over the weekend, displacing hundreds of Palestinians and significantly restricting movement in the area. The operation followed Friday's attack in Hebron, which killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others. Israel is approaching its first election since the Hamas-led attacks in 2023 and the subsequent regional wars. The vote is widely regarded as a test of Netanyahu's leadership and security policies during three years of conflict. The military announced early Sunday that most Palestinian workers holding permits would be barred from entering Israeli communities in the occupied West Bank for work on Sunday and Monday. Several crossings will also remain closed until after Tuesday's election. Israelis living abroad prepare to return for election The AID Coalition, a US-based nonprofit working to strengthen Israeli democracy, said tens of thousands of Israelis living overseas were expected to return home to vote. Israeli law generally requires citizens to cast their ballots in person inside the country, with limited exceptions for diplomats and certain official representatives serving abroad. Israel has more than 7.3 million registered voters, but opinion polls indicate a closely contested election. Previous elections have also been decided by narrow margins. The potential impact of voters returning from abroad remains uncertain. However, many liberal Israelis who oppose Netanyahu have left the country in recent years, raising the possibility that some returning voters could favour his opponents.

Serbians went to the polls on Sunday in a closely contested parliamentary election seen as a major test for populist leader Aleksandar Vucic and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) amid a prolonged student-led protest movement. Around 6.4 million eligible voters are choosing among 18 parties competing for seats in the 250-member parliament. However, the contest has largely turned into a face-off between Vucic's right-wing SNS and the youth-backed Students' List. The two main contenders are believed to be running neck-and-neck, making the election one of the most uncertain in recent years. Turnout is expected to be high, potentially leaving smaller parties struggling to cross the 3 percent threshold required to enter parliament. Vucic has repeatedly outmanoeuvred Serbia's fragmented opposition, but the leaderless student movement has emerged as a significant challenge to his grip on power over the past 14 years. A victory for the students could have wider implications across Europe, where youth-led and student protests have become increasingly prominent. The election is also being closely monitored by the European Union as Serbia seeks membership in the bloc. Previous elections have been marred by allegations of irregularities, while international and domestic observers have raised concerns about campaign safety and fairness. The campaign has been marked by detentions, extensive government control over the media and reports of surveillance and cyberattacks targeting activists. Local elections held earlier this year in 10 Serbian municipalities saw violent attacks on journalists and activists, while the 2023 parliamentary election triggered opposition protests over alleged fraud. Vucic is seeking a return as prime minister if his SNS wins the most votes. He resigned as president last month to lead the campaign after serving nearly two full terms. The ruling party's popularity has declined since 16 people were killed two years ago when a concrete canopy collapsed at a railway station in the northern city of Novi Sad. The disaster triggered months of youth-led protests demanding accountability and justice for the victims. Protesters have blamed alleged high-level corruption and cronyism for negligence during renovation work at the station, which they say contributed to the collapse. Despite the unrest, Vucic retains considerable support, with his admirers viewing him as a capable leader who can guide Serbia through global uncertainties. His image has been reinforced by mainstream media coverage. The Students' List is a new political initiative led by university students, although the students themselves are not among its candidates. Instead, the list features relatively unknown experts, athletes, farmers and artists. The initiative seeks to challenge Vucic's highly centralised leadership and promote community solidarity. Its campaign slogan, “We know how,” promises a non-partisan effort to rebuild Serbia's economy and democracy following a change of government. The movement has attracted voters disillusioned with established politicians. Despite criticism from pro-government media, student activists have travelled by bicycle and on foot through the country to reach voters in rural areas, traditionally strongholds of Vucic's party. Opinion polls have produced mixed results, with both camps claiming they are ahead. Analysts have warned of possible post-election instability if the outcome is close. Vucic has said his side would accept defeat if it lost, but has also warned that any protests alleging fraud after an SNS victory would be swiftly suppressed. The state election commission is not expected to publish the official results before Monday. Magda Anastasijevic, an Eastern Europe analyst at conflict monitor ACLED, said electoral violence had recently increased in Serbia and could escalate further, particularly if the results were disputed.

Bulgarians went to the polls on Sunday to elect their next president, with the campaign dominated by economic hardship, rising prices and security concerns over drone attacks in Black Sea. The election is also the first major test for Prime Minister Rumen Radev’s Moscow-friendly Progressive Bulgaria party since its victory in the parliamentary elections in April. Despite a record 27 candidates in the race, the election is expected to go to a runoff between incumbent President Iliana Yotova, backed by Radev’s party, and former caretaker Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov, who has the support of pro-Western opposition parties. Russia’s war in Ukraine and growing tensions in the Black Sea have been major campaign issues. Recent drone attacks on commercial vessels off Bulgaria’s coast have raised security concerns in the European Union and NATO member country. The attacks have fuelled fears that Russia could escalate the conflict, prompting the Bulgarian government to seek assistance from its partners to strengthen maritime security. Candidates have also addressed public concerns over rising energy prices and inflation, which have made it increasingly difficult for many families, particularly in rural areas, to cover their daily expenses. Polling stations opened at 7am and are scheduled to close at 8pm. Initial exit polls will be released after voting ends, while preliminary results are expected on Monday. A runoff is likely, as none of the 27 candidates is expected to secure an outright victory in Sunday's vote. More than 50% of the country's 6.6 million registered voters must turn out for a first-round victory to be possible, and a candidate must win a majority of votes. Turnout is projected to remain below 40%, making a second round on Nov 1 likely.

Former US President Barack Obama on Saturday accused President Donald Trump and his Republican allies of promoting cruelty and indecency as he campaigned for Democratic candidates in two key Midwestern battleground states ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. Speaking first in Ohio, Obama criticised Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy over an advertisement featuring the estranged mother of his Democratic rival, Dr Amy Acton. Trump and Vice President JD Vance have defended the advertisement, although several Ohio Republican leaders, including Governor Mike DeWine, have called for it to be withdrawn. “There is no line he will not cross, no low he will not sink to,” Obama said, referring to Ramaswamy and pointing to Acton’s accounts of childhood abuse, neglect and homelessness. Acton, a former state health director during the COVID-19 pandemic, accused Ramaswamy of exploiting her childhood to rescue his struggling campaign, saying that decency still mattered. The campaign video features Acton’s birth mother, Donna Arthur, calling her a liar and suggesting she has mental health issues. Arthur lost custody of her children after her husband, Cledith Arthur, was indicted on a rape charge involving Acton. The alleged abuse occurred between December 1976 and April 1978. Cledith Arthur later failed to appear in court and became a fugitive. Donna Arthur remained married to him until his death in 2004. Trump, who cast his ballot in Florida on Saturday, defended the advertisement, saying Acton’s mother had criticised her. Later in Detroit, Michigan, Obama rallied behind Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, accusing critics of using his name and Muslim faith against him. “We have seen this movie before. I starred in it,” Obama told a packed high school gym, referring to the false claims about his birthplace that he faced during his political career. “I’ve got a long-form birth certificate to prove it.” “Abdul is as Michigan as it gets,” he added. Obama, 65, remains a prominent Democratic campaigner nearly a decade after leaving the White House. His appearances come as Democrats seek to strengthen their position in elections that will determine the balance of power in Washington. In Michigan, Obama rejected descriptions of El-Sayed as a radical, saying the candidate shared his values. He also acknowledged that El-Sayed had criticised him after his 2012 reelection for failing to fulfil all his progressive campaign promises. El-Sayed once wrote that Obama “was not the right choice — he just wasn’t the wrong one.” Responding to the criticism, Obama joked that even his wife, Michelle Obama, disagreed with him several times a day. Democrats hope Obama's appearance in Detroit, a city that is about three-quarters Black, will help El-Sayed attract more Black voters. In the primary, his rival Haley Stevens won Wayne County, which includes Detroit, by around six percentage points. Former Vice President Kamala Harris, the first Black and South Asian person to serve as vice president, campaigned for El-Sayed in September. Cheryl McWilliams, 67, said Obama's speech encouraged people to vote and expressed hope for strong turnout. “If Detroit doesn’t vote, whoever’s running is going to lose, period,” she said, urging efforts to reach people who believe their votes do not matter. Chunnika Hodges, a Detroit resident who canvassed for El-Sayed on Saturday, said some Black voters were backing Republican Mike Rogers because they felt little had changed after years of voting for Democrats. Others were concerned about El-Sayed’s progressive policies, she said, noting that conservative views also existed within the Black community. Obama also devoted much of his speech to criticising Trump, accusing the president and his family of widespread corruption and faulting him for failing to reduce living costs. He mocked Trump's focus on constructing a new White House ballroom and a helipad on the South Lawn while Americans faced economic pressures. “He should be on HGTV,” Obama quipped, adding that the White House looked as though “Saddam Hussein opened a Cheesecake Factory,” in a reference to Trump's extensive use of gold decorations. Acknowledging that Trump would remain president for another two years, Obama urged voters to hold Republicans accountable in the midterms. He criticised what he described as a spineless Congress and Republican governors who tolerated lawlessness, carelessness and indifference towards working people. “After two years of chaos and cruelty and corruption and incompetence … you get a chance to say enough is enough,” he said. Obama is scheduled to headline a rally in Georgia next week with Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff and gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms. Trump, who campaigned in Perry, Georgia, on Saturday evening alongside Republican candidates, referred several times to Obama's Detroit appearance and claimed that the venue had been empty.

At least 12 people, including six children, were injured in a shooting near a football stadium in Tallahassee, Florida, on Saturday during Florida A&M University’s homecoming weekend, authorities said. Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell told reporters that no arrests had been made in connection with the incident. Police said preliminary findings indicated that a fight broke out before the shooting, which occurred in a crowded area following a football game. Eleven of the victims suffered gunshot wounds, while at least three sustained serious injuries, according to police. Florida A&M University said in a social media statement that the shooting took place near its campus but assured the public that the campus remained safe.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited China on Saturday to inaugurate a new bridge connecting the two countries, pledging to strengthen cooperation with his powerful neighbour. The visit is part of Kim’s efforts to strengthen ties with China and Russia as he seeks to build a united front against the United States. It was his first visit to China in a year. Kim arrived in the Chinese border city of Dandong after crossing the newly opened bridge, according to South Korea’s Unification Ministry and China’s Xinhua News Agency. In Dandong, Kim visited a memorial honouring Chinese support for North Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War and met Wang Huning, a member of the Standing Committee of China’s Communist Party. Kim pledged to maintain the long-standing friendship between the two countries, while Wang conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s greetings and described the memorial visit as significant for strengthening bilateral ties, North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. The two leaders also toured a car factory before Wang accompanied Kim to the bridge for his departure. Bridge expected to boost trade The New Yalu River Bridge, which opened this month after more than a decade of delays, is expected to boost trade between the two countries. It can handle traffic in both directions around the clock, including container shipments and heavy trucks. Kim said the bridge would fulfil its historic role of connecting the two countries and strengthening friendship between their peoples, KCNA reported. The inauguration highlights efforts by both countries to strengthen relations. China has traditionally been North Korea’s main ally and a vital source of economic support, although Kim has prioritised relations with Russia in recent years. North Korea has sent thousands of troops and conventional weapons to support Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine, reportedly in exchange for military and economic assistance. Visit marks Korean War anniversary Kim’s visit, his sixth to China since taking power in late 2011, came ahead of the Oct 25 anniversary of China’s first major victory in the Korean War. Chinese troops entered North Korea in October 1950, days after the conflict began with Pyongyang’s attack on South Korea in June that year. A US-led United Nations coalition intervened to support South Korea, while China backed North Korea with military assistance from the then-Soviet Union. Fighting ended with a 1953 armistice, leaving the Korean Peninsula technically at war. Xi visited Pyongyang in June and expressed Beijing’s willingness to expand cooperation with North Korea in trade, agriculture, construction and technology. Kim described relations with China as a top strategic priority. Kim last visited Beijing in September 2025, when he met Xi and attended a military parade alongside Putin and other foreign leaders. Diplomatic efforts remain uncertain Kim has maintained a hard line towards South Korea and rejected US President Donald Trump’s proposal to revive talks that collapsed in 2019 during Trump’s first term. Pyongyang has demanded that Washington abandon its “hostile policy” and drop its demand for North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons as a condition for renewed negotiations. South Korea’s liberal government supports engagement with the North and hopes renewed talks between Washington and Pyongyang could improve relations between the two Koreas. Seoul has also urged Beijing to play a “constructive” role in resolving tensions. South Korea’s intelligence agency told lawmakers last month that there was a 50% possibility of a meeting between Trump and Kim on the sidelines of next month’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Shenzhen, China. “If North Korea focuses more on economic development than military buildup and threats, that would be positive for diplomacy and security,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul. However, he said it remained unclear what South Korea could offer Pyongyang if Kim continued to secure greater benefits from China and Russia, given the political risks North Korea associates with engagement with its more prosperous and democratic neighbour.

Thousands of young people took to the streets of several Italian cities, including Milan, Rome and Turin, on Saturday as authorities deployed large numbers of police and soldiers to prevent a repeat of the violence and looting that marred similar protests last week. The demonstrations remained largely peaceful in Milan, while brief clashes broke out between protesters and police in Rome and Turin. In Milan, thousands marched through the streets as soldiers were deployed and luxury shops boarded up their windows. By late afternoon, however, most stores had reopened, Italian media reported. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni announced several measures to strengthen security, including deploying an additional 500 soldiers to Milan and imposing tougher penalties on minors. Police said young people made up a large part of the protesters involved in last week's violence. Authorities in Milan also detained several minors as a preventive measure, according to media reports. Although protests in France have drawn much international attention, large demonstrations also took place on Saturday in several European cities, including Milan, Rome, Madrid, Lisbon and Tirana. The protests covered a wide range of issues, including education, corruption, anti-war demands, pensions and housing affordability. Soldiers deployed as Milan braces for unrestAs night fell, large crowds of mostly young people gathered in Milan, chanting slogans against Meloni and holding banners reading, "No to lies of the state." Some protesters dumped manure outside Italy's energy regulator and burned an oversized electricity bill as a symbolic protest, according to footage broadcast on local television. The additional 500 soldiers deployed to Milan joined hundreds already stationed in the city. They supported around 5,000 police officers and other security personnel. Authorities also introduced drone surveillance, railway station checks, rapid-response units and online monitoring to identify potential calls for violence. Pierfrancesco Majorino, a mayoral hopeful who announced his candidacy on Thursday, joined the march and noted how peaceful the demonstration had been, Italian media reported. He plans to contest a centre-left primary in early 2027. Milan's centre-left Mayor Giuseppe Sala, who has held office since 2016, will not seek another term. Many shops, particularly luxury boutiques in the city's fashion district, boarded up their windows ahead of the demonstrations. The affected stores included Omega, Tiffany and Gucci. The Apple store also closed and remained shut even after other businesses reopened. Last weekend, rioters broke into shops and looted goods, particularly sneakers, sportswear and sporting equipment, along streets leading off the city's central Duomo square. Security measures were extended beyond the city centre amid concerns that unrest could spread to other neighbourhoods. The protesters ended their march peacefully on Saturday evening outside Milan Polytechnic, more than three kilometres from the city centre. Authorities said they were investigating a 30-year-old freelance journalist suspected of being the "mastermind" behind the newly formed Oct. 17 movement, which has played a leading role in the recent protests in Italy. Milan police said around 2,000 very young protesters were involved in last week's violence and looting. Many were described as "naturalized, second-generation Italians", alongside foreign nationals. Police arrested 45 people over two days, including 34 minors. A group of around 30 far-right activists, described as hooligans linked to Inter Milan football club, briefly appeared at the demonstrations, chanting anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim slogans. Police kept the group isolated from the other protesters. Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said soldiers deployed on Saturday had only recently been authorised to use plastic restraint ties, and only in areas around railway stations rather than throughout the city. They are not permitted to carry pepper spray or tasers, he added. Protesters attempt to enter Rome's ColosseumAuthorities also tightened security in Rome, closing off luxury shopping streets and increasing patrols around the Circus Maximus and Piazza del Popolo. A small group of protesters attempted to force their way into the Colosseum but were escorted out by guards. Elsewhere, several hundred students demonstrated peacefully, stressing that they should not be associated with those responsible for the violence. "The images from last week were truly something terrible, especially for the young people, for the students, for the vast majority of the younger generations who want to study ... and do not accept being represented by those who use issues and needs to devastate entire cities," said Riccardo Ponzio, national president of an Italian far-right student association. A separate anti-war march took place in central Rome. Organisers sought to distance their demonstration from potential unrest, urging participants to keep their faces uncovered and their hands visible. However, the anti-war protesters were involved in brief clashes with police near Piazza della Repubblica. Organisers tried to hold back the crowd using batons and tear gas, but tensions escalated. The protesters eventually retreated after police deployed a water cannon, moving to a location about half a kilometre away. Clashes and fires in AlbaniaIn Tirana, the capital of Albania, riot police used water cannons against large groups of protesters on Saturday. Some demonstrators set government buildings on fire and threw objects at police. Authorities deployed 2,500 officers across the city to maintain order. For more than a week, protesters have thrown rocks, flares, firebombs and fireworks at police, who have responded with batons and tear gas during clashes in the city centre. High school and university students are demanding lower tuition fees, increased government investment in education and action against corruption in the education system. Some have also joined a broader anti-government movement calling for the resignation of Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama. Earlier, a separate opposition-organised protest outside the prime minister's office turned violent, with some activists setting fires in the street. Rama said on Saturday that his government was preparing a response to the students' demands and invited them to talks. He warned that those involved in violence would face penalties. Pension concerns and housing costs fuel protestsIn Madrid, thousands of retirees and other demonstrators marched peacefully on Saturday, demanding that public pensions be protected from changes. "They are threatening us with privatizing pensions. It's just another thing they want to profit from," said Maria José Benito, 68. The demonstration came ahead of next month's snap election, as Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's Socialist Party criticised the conservative Popular Party for making proposals that it said could lead to the privatisation of public pensions. Spain has also experienced protests over housing affordability this autumn, as rental and property prices have risen beyond the reach of many residents in recent years. Inspired by the demonstrations in Spain, protesters demanding affordable housing marched through Lisbon on Saturday. They also criticised recent measures announced by the government of Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro, including plans to ease restrictions on annual rent increases and make it easier to evict tenants who fail to pay rent. Montenegro has defended the measures, saying they are intended to strengthen trust between landlords and tenants and encourage growth in the rental market. Protesters, however, argue that the changes are unfair and leave tenants more vulnerable.

A fire badly damaged the Eagle’s Nest, a mountaintop retreat built for Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler in Germany, as firefighters struggled to control the blaze amid snow and strong winds. Police arrested a man on suspicion of arson, authorities said Saturday. Emergency services in the Berchtesgaden district of the Bavarian Alps in southeastern Germany received an alarm at around 9:15pm Friday. Firefighters and police rushed to the site, which lies at the end of a narrow mountain road that passes through several tunnels. They spotted the flames as they approached. On their way, they stopped and arrested a man riding a motorcycle down the mountain road in the opposite direction. Prosecutors said the 33-year-old German suspect has ties to the Berchtesgaden area but does not currently live there. He was questioned and showed signs of mental illness before being sent to a psychiatric facility, they said. However, investigators will also examine whether the fire had a political motive because of the building’s historical significance. Police said there was no current evidence suggesting that anyone else was involved. Rain followed by the season’s first significant snowfall, along with strong winds, made firefighting particularly difficult. After several hours of work, firefighters had to withdraw overnight, officials said. No one was injured in the fire. Firefighters hoped to complete their work on Saturday but could not enter the building because of the risk of falling debris. Known in German as the Kehlsteinhaus, the building stands on a cliff 1,834 metres (6,017 feet) above sea level. Visitors can reach it by taking an elevator built inside the rock at the end of the mountain road. The road is closed to public traffic but is used by tourist buses during the day. The site has operated as a cafe and restaurant since 1952 and also houses an exhibition on its history. Hitler rarely used the Kehlsteinhaus, unlike his Berghof residence in the same area, whose ruins were blown up in 1952. The Obersalzberg Documentation Center, located farther down the mountain and home to the area's main historical exhibition, was not affected by the fire. Officials indicated that the Eagle’s Nest would be restored, although they have yet to decide how the work would be carried out. “We’re not going to leave a ruin there,” Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann told reporters in Berchtesgaden. He said the site's future appearance would be discussed with local officials, historians, preservation experts and others. “I think we will be able to find a sensible solution,” Herrmann added. The Bavarian state government owns the building. The minister stressed the importance of preserving historical memory, saying, “It is important that we continue to do the work of remembrance.”

More than a month of unrest that started with protests in high schools for more funding and teachers is testing Macron’s authority in the final months of his presidency before voters choose his successor in May. The stakes are high: The far-right National Rally party has accused his government of failing to protect the public and urged people to channel their anger into votes for its candidate Marine Le Pen. On the far left, presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon has backed demonstrators and criticized policing that has left some teenage protesters with life-changing injuries. As dusk fell Saturday, violence erupted at the end of some of the 289 protests counted by the Interior Ministry nationwide. Street fires burned in the cities of Marseille and Lyon. Police used tear gas in Lyon, Clermont-Ferrand, Strasbourg and Bordeaux and water cannons in Nice and Nantes, French media reported. In Nice, far-right extremists fought with demonstrators downtown and 11 people were arrested, regional authorities said. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said police made nearly 1,000 arrests but added that the number is expected to increase significantly as more are counted. Nuñez said beefed-up policing, with 70,000 officers backed by helicopters, armored vehicles and other support, helped prevent a repeat of widespread looting and damage to shops the previous weekend.  

Pakistan urged Afghanistan’s Taliban government on Saturday to take verifiable action against militants it says operate from Afghan territory, dismissing Kabul’s assertion that Islamabad was shifting blame for its own security failures. In a separate statement on X, Pakistan’s Information Ministry rejected allegations that it was arming Afghans to fight the Taliban or recruiting them to fight anti-Pakistan insurgents. Former U.S. envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad had cited reports of both activities a day earlier. The exchanges come amid heightened tensions between the two sides over militant activity, repeated border clashes and Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan, deepening a longstanding dispute over responsibility for cross-border violence. Khalilzad on Friday wrote on X that there had been reports of Pakistan arming Afghans to fight the Taliban inside Afghanistan and of the Pakistani military recruiting Afghans to fight anti-Pakistan insurgents. He offered no evidence, and did not identify the sources of those reports. Last month, Afghanistan said its forces killed 28 fighters and captured 32 others, including alleged members of the Islamic State group said to have crossed from neighboring Pakistan. Pakistan frequently accuses Kabul of sheltering the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, as well as the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army, or BLA, and al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent, an affiliate of the global extremist network. The TTP is separate from but closely allied with Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban. On Friday, the Afghan Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said that Kabul was not responsible for insecurity in Pakistan. He accused Pakistani military and security agencies of shifting blame when they failed to maintain security at home. He said Kabul had neither an interest in destabilizing Pakistan nor the capability to foment or finance unrest in other countries. In Islamabad, the Information Ministry on X said those assertions did not address what it described as documented security concerns. It cited attempted cross-border infiltration, the deaths of Afghan nationals and members of militant groups during Pakistani counterterrorism operations, and the recovery of foreign-origin weapons as matters requiring scrutiny. According to the ministry, the U.S. report covering January through March 2026 estimated the strength of the Pakistani Taliban at 4,000 to 6,000 fighters. Pakistan is currently conducting multiple operations against militants near the Afghan border. The ministry said these security measures were aimed at targeting militant threats, not the Afghan people. It urged the Taliban government to end any tolerance, facilitation or support for militant organizations, including the TTP and the BLA, and prevent Afghan territory from being used to plan or launch attacks against Pakistan. Militant violence has surged in Pakistan in recent years, with much of it blamed on TTP and BLA. Pakistan says many TTP leaders and BLA insurgents have found sanctuary in Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power there in 2021, an allegation Kabul denies. Pakistani authorities say more than 2,800 militant attacks since January have killed 3,000 people across Pakistan, mainly in the northwest and Balochistan province.