Kabul: Afghan defence officials Monday warned
Pakistan to stop firing rockets and heavy artillery into northeast of the country or the military will respond with force.
In its strongest condemnation to date, the Afghan Defence
Ministry accused the Pakistani army of firing more than 300
artillery and rockets into Kunar and Nuristan provinces during
the past five days.
The area is a haven for hardcore insurgent groups
fighting in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. US-led coalition
forces have a light footprint in the area and the cross-border fighting highlights NATO`s struggles to pacify the remote region and underscores the lack of cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan against their common foes.
The ministry said an unknown number of Afghan civilians
have been killed by the shelling coming from Pakistani
territory. Several houses and mosques have been destroyed and
hundreds of people have been displaced from their homes, the
ministry said.
"Once again, the Pakistani army started firing heavy
artillery and rockets over innocent Afghan people from the
other side of the Durand Line," the statement said, referring
to the disputed 19th century demarcation between Afghanistan
and Pakistan.
There was no immediate comment from Pakistani officials.
Pakistan complained earlier this summer that militants coming
from Afghanistan killed at least 55 members of its security
forces and tribal police and demanded that US and Afghan forces do more to stem the flow of fighters.
Afghan defence officials said that according to their
forces on the ground, more than 100 rockets or mortars rained
down on the two provinces last night.
"It`s a clear attack on civilian residential areas," the
ministry statement said.
"The Afghan Defence Ministry is strongly condemning the
attack and is giving strong warnings that such violations (of
sovereignty) will have their effect on the brotherly, friendly
relations of two neighbouring countries," the statement said.
PTI
