US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington has "obviously heard" Pakistan's concerns about terrorism coming from Afghan territory, adding that "if there's a productive role for us to play, we'll play it." He was speaking at a press briefing in Atlanta, Georgia, on Saturday.
"Pakistan is concerned about terrorist attacks that are being sponsored from the territory of Afghanistan," Rubio said, adding that Islamabad felt the Taliban had not done enough to constrain those attacks and had taken action of its own. "We obviously have heard those concerns on their part, we obviously don't want them to be targeted," he said.
Rubio acknowledged that Washington does not "necessarily have the closest relationship with the Taliban", but said the US had seen some of the attacks Pakistan points to. "We're against terrorism no matter where it emanates from and who it targets," he said.
The remarks come as relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan remain strained over cross-border militancy. Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban administration to stop militant groups, particularly the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), from using Afghan soil to attack Pakistan. Pakistan says the militant network extends beyond cross-border movement to training, arms and operational support, while the Taliban government has rejected the accusations.