Khaberni - New confrontations erupted between Pakistani and Afghan forces along the border strip after the end of a short ceasefire agreed upon for Eid al-Fitr, which resulted in deaths and injuries in the eastern states of Afghanistan, according to local authorities in Kabul.
Director of Media and Culture in Kunar Province, eastern Afghanistan, Ziaur Rahman Spin Ghar, said that the Pakistani forces fired dozens of artillery shells at the areas of Nari and Sarkani (east of the country), noting that two civilians were killed and a number of other residents were injured.
He added that the strikes in Sarkani included artillery shelling and drone strikes, which resulted in another civilian death.
The official confirmed that the Afghan border forces responded to the shelling, noting that 3 Pakistani military posts were destroyed and one soldier was killed, although this information could not be independently verified due to field restrictions and the difficulty of accessing the border areas.
Accusations
In contrast, Associated Press quoted a local official in northwestern Pakistan accusing Afghan forces of starting the shooting at multiple positions along the border.
This comes after days following a ceasefire that followed Pakistani airstrikes, which the Kabul government said hit an addiction treatment hospital in the capital, resulting in more than 400 deaths — a toll that could not be independently verified — while Islamabad says its strikes targeted an ammunition depot and not civilian facilities.
The border areas between the two countries have been witnessing escalating tension for months, and the United Nations says that at least 76 Afghan civilians have been killed since February 26th, without counting the victims of the last strike on the treatment center, which left hundreds dead.
