The White House on Monday called on Pakistan to immediately arrest or expel Taliban leaders who are carrying out terrorist activities across the border in Afghanistan from its safe havens.

AVA- “We call on Pakistan to immediately arrest or expel the Taliban’s leaders and prevent the group from using Pakistani territory to support its operations,” the White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters at her daily news conference.

The White House statement in this regard comes two days after the Taliban claimed responsibilities for the major terrorist attack at the Inter-Continental Hotel in Kabul that killed at least 18 people including 14 foreign nationals. A group of gunmen stormed the hotel Saturday night which continued till early Sunday morning.

“In Afghanistan, where terrorists attacked a hotel in Kabul, such attacks on civilians only strengthen our resolve to support our Afghan partners,” Sanders said in her first daily news conference after the terrorist attack.

“We commend the swift and effective response of the Afghan security forces.  Afghan forces, with our support, will continue to relentlessly pursue the enemies of Afghanistan, who also seek to export terror around the world,” she said.