Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of shelling eastern city outskirts, killing and wounding civilians

Afghanistan accused Pakistan’s military of launching a shelling attack on the outskirts of Asadabad city in eastern Kunar Province on Sunday, killing one person and wounding 16 others, primarily women and children. This latest incident marks another escalation in what has become the most severe conflict between the two neighboring nations in decades.

Afghan deputy government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat reported that “mortars and other heavy weaponry” targeted rural areas and civilian homes. Fitrat shared images on social media platform X showing injured children, though Pakistan has not yet responded to these allegations.

The current wave of hostilities erupted in late February and has since featured repeated cross-border clashes and airstrikes. The conflict reached a particularly alarming point earlier this month when Afghanistan claimed a Pakistani airstrike hit a drug treatment hospital in Kabul, reportedly killing more than 400 people. The United Nations humanitarian affairs office noted that the death toll remains under verification. Pakistan has disputed this account, denying it targeted civilians and maintaining it struck an ammunition depot.

The February escalation began when Afghanistan launched a cross-border raid into Pakistan, describing it as retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan border areas that Kabul claimed killed civilians. Pakistan maintained these strikes targeted militant groups operating from Afghan territory.

Tensions between the two nations center largely on Pakistan’s accusations that Afghanistan provides safe haven for militants who conduct attacks inside Pakistan, particularly the Pakistani Taliban. This group, while separate from the Afghan Taliban that seized power in 2021 during the U.S. withdrawal, maintains close alliances with Afghanistan’s current rulers. Kabul has consistently denied harboring militants.

The situation grew increasingly severe last month when Pakistan formally declared it was in “open war” with Afghanistan. This announcement sent ripples of concern through the international community, as the border region is known to host other militant organizations, including al-Qaida and Islamic State affiliates that have been attempting to strengthen their presence.

A temporary ceasefire had offered brief respite during the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, following mediation efforts by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar. However, this truce expired earlier this week, with renewed fighting erupting on Wednesday. Afghan officials reported that at least two civilians were killed in eastern Afghanistan in these fresh clashes.

This recent cycle of violence undermined a previous Qatari-mediated ceasefire from October, which had temporarily halted earlier clashes that killed dozens of civilians, security forces, and militants. The two countries continue to present vastly different casualty figures, further complicating efforts to assess the true human cost of the conflict.

Diplomatic efforts have struggled to produce lasting solutions. Peace talks held in Istanbul in November failed to achieve a long-term resolution to the border tensions, which have deep historical roots dating back to border demarcations from the colonial era.

The ongoing conflict threatens regional stability in an area already grappling with humanitarian challenges, economic difficulties, and the complex geopolitical aftermath of the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan. With neither side showing signs of significant compromise, the border region remains a flashpoint with potential to further destabilize an already fragile region.