US says it supports Pakistan's 'right to defend itself' against Afghan Taliban

The United States said on Friday it supported Pakistan's "right to defend itself" against attacks from Afghanistan's Taliban rulers after Islamabad said earlier in the day that the neighboring countries were in "open war."



Afghanistan's Taliban rulers had said on Friday they were willing to negotiate after Pakistan bombed their forces in major cities.



"The United States supports Pakistan's right to defend itself against attacks from the Taliban, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group," a State Department spokesperson said in an emailed statement.



Pakistan is nuclear-armed and its military capabilities are vastly superior to Afghanistan's. However, the Taliban are adept at guerrilla warfare, hardened by decades of fighting with U.S.-led forces, before returning to power in 2021 when Washington withdrew chaotically.



Pakistan is a major non-NATO ally of Washington. The U.S. considers the Afghan Taliban to be a "terrorist" group.