By Sajad
According to local authorities in eastern Kunar province of Afghanistan at least 250 missiles have been fired in three districts in this province since Saturday night in fresh wave of cross border attacks from Pakistan.
Provincial governor Syed Fazlullah Wahidi confirming the report said the missiles were fired in Dangam, Shegal and Nari districts where at least three Afghan civilians were injured.
Local residents also confirmed the cross border shelling and said heavy casualties were incurred to local residents in these districts.
A border police official guards a checkpoint at the Ghaki pass on the border between Pakistan's Bajaur region and Afghanistan's Kunar province where the abducted teenagers were on an outing. (Photo: Hanifullah Khan/EPA)
This comes as Afghan interior ministry officials on Saturday announced that the cross border shelling were stopped in eastern regions of the country.
A spokesman for the interior ministry Sediq Sediqi said the cross border shelling from Pakistan into Afghanistan was for the first time confirmed by foreign ministry officials of Pakistan.
In the meantime NATO-led International Security Assistance Force following a statement announced,” Recent allegations that the Pakistani military has notified the International Security Assistance Force 52 times that insurgent elements were crossing the Afghan/Pakistan border are incorrect. Whenever the Pakistani military has requested assistance, ISAF immediately dispatched the appropriate force to deal with the issue.”
ISAF following the statement further added, “In the spirit of recent improving relations with the Pakistani military, ISAF will continue to take every Pakistani military report of cross-border movement very seriously and will assist whenever and wherever possible.
We have many shared interests – including our respective commitments for coordinated action against the cross-border attacks of the Haqqani terrorists from North Waziristan who threaten Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the region; of supporting Afghanistan’s security, stability, and efforts towards reconciliation; and of continuing to work together to advance the many other shared interests we have, from increasing trade and investment to strengthening our people-to-people ties.
We are committed to working together with Pakistan on these issues, and others, on the basis of mutual interest and respect. We should pursue a relationship that is enduring, strategic, carefully defined, and that enhances the security and prosperity of the region.”