Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Saturday summoned the charge d’affaires of Pakistan’s embassy to denounce violation of its airspace and cross-Durand Line shelling by Pakistani military on parts of Afghanistan.
The ministry in a statement also condemned attacks on the two countries border forces.
According to the statement, the ministry once again called on Pakistan to fight these groups without distinction.
“The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan once again encouraged Pakistan to fight honestly and without distinction, respecting good neighborly relations and building trust, on the basis of a result-oriented mechanism,” read the statement.
At least four civilians were killed and fives others were wounded after Pakistan troops started shelling on the Afghan side of the Durand Line last week on Wednesday, local officials said on Thursday.
The shelling started at 9 pm local time and the Pakistani troops targeted Sarkot, Pakha Mela and Afghan Dubai villages in Spera district in the province, a spokesman for provincial governor, Adil Haidar, confirmed.
Meanwhile, a security delegation, including deputy security chief of the Interior Ministry, visited Khost province on Thursday to “review the situation”, officials said.
The attack come hours after Pakistan forces claimed that at least three Pakistani soldiers were killed and seven others were wounded when a group of militants from the Afghan side of the Durand Line attacked Pakistani troops in Alwara, North Waziristan.
“While Pakistan security forces are solidifying border security through fencing and construction of forts to deny liberty of action to the terrorists, Afghan Security Forces and the authorities need to have more effective control in [the] border region to support Pakistan’s efforts as well as deny use of Afghan soil against Pakistan,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement published by Pakistani news agencies.
Meanwhile, the Afghan Charge d’ Affaires was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad where he was informed about Pakistan’s concerns about repeated cross-Durand Line attacks from Afghanistan’s soil.
The Afghan diplomat was informed that Pakistan strongly protests such provocations which are detrimental to peace and stability along Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
The Afghan side was urged to take immediate action against the elements on their side and ensure effective measures so that such incidents are not repeated in future.
