Four killed, 70 injured in attacks by Pakistan: Taliban
The Taliban government says four people have been killed and 70 others injured in mortar and rocket attacks launched by Pakistan against Afghanistan, reigniting conflicts between the countries and threatening to derail fragile peace talks.
The Pakistani government described the reports as “continuous propaganda”.
Taliban’s deputy spokesman, Hamdullah Fitrat, said that approximately 30 students, women and children were among those injured in the attacks targeting homes and Seyyed Jamaleddin Afghan University in Asadabad city of Kunar province.
“We strongly condemn these attacks of the Pakistani military regime targeting ordinary people, academic and educational institutions and declare them unforgivable war crimes,” he said in a post on channel X. he said.
In a post on X, Pakistan’s information ministry said the Afghan government’s claims were false.
“Whenever and wherever Pakistan attacks the Afghan-based terrorist infrastructure, it will be well-declared, fully owned and supported by conclusive evidence that it is targeting the terrorist support infrastructure, based on previous actions,” the statement said.
The Pakistani military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
February saw the worst clash between allies-turned-enemies in years as Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan that Islamabad said targeted militant strongholds.
Islamabad said Kabul provided safe haven to militants who launched attacks on Pakistan from its territory. The Taliban denied the allegations and said militancy in Pakistan was an internal problem.
The Taliban said more than 400 people were killed in a Pakistani attack on a drug rehabilitation center in Kabul last month before the neighbors suspended hostilities.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan announced the death toll as 143.
China, which mediates between the countries, announced that they agreed to find a comprehensive solution to the conflict during peace talks in Urumqi earlier this month.
Clashes have decreased since the talks in Urumqi were announced, although a few minor skirmishes have been reported. Three people were killed in a mortar attack by Afghan forces in Pakistan’s northern Bajaur region on April 18, security officials said.
