Mortar and rocket strikes blamed on Pakistan killed four and wounded 70 in Afghanistan, raising fears that fragile peace talks could collapse.
Mortar and rocket fire that Afghanistan’s Taliban government says came from Pakistan killed four people on Monday and left about 70 injured, including dozens of students and children, Misryoum reported.. The strikes hit residential areas and the Syed Jamaluddin Afghani University in Asadabad, Kunar province, prompting the Taliban to label the incident a war crime.
The deputy spokesperson for the Taliban, Hamdullah Fitrat, posted on X that roughly 30 of the wounded were school‑age children and women, underscoring how civilians bore the brunt of the attack.. Pakistan’s information ministry dismissed the claims as “frivolous and fake,” insisting no university had been targeted.. The Pakistani military has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Background to the border dispute
The latest exchange revives a feud that flared in February when Islamabad launched airstrikes it said were aimed at militant hideouts inside Afghan territory.. Kabul, for its part, has repeatedly accused Pakistan of providing safe haven to insurgents who fire across the border.. The two nations, once close allies, have been locked in a cycle of accusations, retaliatory fire and stalled diplomatic overtures.
Historically, the Durand Line has been a flashpoint, with tribal communities straddling the border and both capitals claiming jurisdiction over the same rugged terrain.. Over the past decade, sporadic skirmishes have punctuated a fragile cease‑fire, but the intensity of Monday’s shelling marks one of the deadliest episodes since the 2021 Taliban takeover.
Families in Asadabad described the morning as chaotic: a loud whine rose from the hills, followed by a series of booming impacts that shattered windows and sent dust into the streets.. Parents rushed children into shelters, while university staff scrambled to account for students still inside lecture halls.. The human toll, beyond the casualty figures, includes shattered routines and lingering fear among residents who now wonder if their neighborhoods will be safe again.
Implications for peace talks
China, acting as a mediator, announced in early April that the two sides had agreed in Urumqi to explore a comprehensive solution to their border clashes.. Since that announcement, minor incidents have occurred, but the recent mortar barrage threatens to derail those negotiations.. If the violence continues, the diplomatic momentum built in Urumqi could sputter, leaving regional stability in jeopardy.
The incident also tests the Taliban’s claim that it can control militant activity within its borders.. By blaming Pakistan for targeting civilians, the Afghan government seeks to shift international scrutiny away from its own security challenges.. Conversely, Pakistan’s denial aims to maintain its narrative of conducting precise, counter‑terrorism operations, a stance that complicates any joint verification mechanisms.
Analysts note that the escalation could have ripple effects beyond the bilateral relationship.. Neighboring Iran and Central Asian republics watch the border drama closely, fearing that a protracted conflict might spill over trade routes and humanitarian corridors.. Moreover, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, which previously documented a 143‑person death toll from a Pakistani strike on a Kabul rehab centre, may be forced to intervene more assertively if civilian casualties keep rising.
Looking ahead, the next few weeks will likely determine whether the parties return to the negotiating table or allow retaliatory cycles to harden.. A credible cease‑fire, backed by transparent monitoring, could restore some confidence among war‑weary civilians.. Without such steps, the region risks slipping into a more entrenched pattern of low‑level warfare that undermines reconstruction efforts and fuels displacement..