Security forces have fired hundreds of rockets into Afghanistan in recent days, killing a child and forcing hundreds to flee their homes, Afghan officials said Sunday. Fazilullah Wahidy, governor of the northeastern province of Kunar where the shelling happened, told AFP: “The shells were fired directly from Pakistani military posts and garrisons on that side of the border.”
He said at least one boy was killed in the attacks. Wahidi said, “I strongly condemn this senseless act by the Pakistan army and it must immediately be stopped.” He said at least 30 shells had landed in neighbouring Nuristan province. However, Interior ministry spokesman Siddiq Siddiqui did not specify who was behind the cross-border shelling but added: “We call on Pakistan to stop whoever is behind the attacks immediately.”
He said more than 340 rockets had been fired into Afghanistan over the past four days, mostly landing in villages and farmland in the province of Kunar. Two mosques and dozens of houses had been damaged while about 50 families had to flee their homes, Siddiqui added. The shelling comes amid heightened tensions between the two countries and follows more than a month of shelling by Pakistan’s military in June and July that Afghanistan said had killed at least 42 civilians.
The latest shelling came shortly after the United States called on Pakistan to “break any link they have” with militants from the Haqqani militant network in border districts.