US Suspends Security Assistance to Pakistan

• US Suspends Security Assistance to Pakistan

The United States has suspended its security assistance to Pakistani forces, the State Department said Thursday, demanding “decisive action” against Taliban factions based in the country.

Spokeswoman Heather Nauert was unable to put a dollar sum on the funds that will be frozen, but said it was in addition to the $255 million in military aid it has already put on hold.

“Today we can confirm that we are suspending security assistance to Pakistan at this time,” Nauert said.

“Until the Pakistani government takes decisive action against the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani group — we consider them to be a destabilizing the region and targeting US personnel — the United States will suspend that type of security assistance to Pakistan.”

The decision on security assistance came after US President Donald Trump lashed out at Pakistan in a New Year tweet, accusing the longstanding American ally of using “lies and deceit” to win US aid while harboring terrorists.

AFP