Afghanistan warns Pakistan over cross-border shelling
KABUL, July 22, 2012 (AFP) - Afghanistan warned Pakistan on Sunday that any further cross-border shelling could significantly harm relations, just days after the leaders of the two strifetorn neighbours met to talk peace.
More than 300 heavy artillery shells and rockets were fired from Pakistan into Dangam district of eastern Kunar province on Friday and Saturday, killing at least four people, provincial spokesman Wasifullah Wasifi told AFP.
Last month, a barrage of cross-border fire from Pakistan into Kunar forced thousands of villagers to flee their homes, officials said, after Islamabad accused Kabul of giving safe haven to militants who infiltrated to kill 13 Pakistani soldiers.
Afghanistan and Pakistan typically blame each other for violence by Taliban Islamic militants plaguing both sides of their porous border.
Afghanistan's Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin on Sunday summoned Pakistan's ambassador in Kabul to discuss the latest barrage of pe- riodic shelling across the Durand Line, a foreign ministry statement said.
“Any continuation of such reported shelling against Afghan villages could have a significant negative impact on bilateral relations,” the statement quoted Ludin as telling ambassador Mohammad Sadiq.
Both sides agreed to hold a seniorlevel meeting of military officials soon in Afghanistan's eastern city of Jalalabad over the shelling and improve military coordination along the Durand Line, the statement said.