At least 200 Afghan families flee cross-border shelling

By Shadi Khan Saif

KABUL, Afghanistan

At least 200 Afghan families from eastern Kunar province have been displaced allegedly due to ongoing shelling by Pakistani forces, according to a regional police chief Thursday.

Kunar police chief Col. Juma Gul Himmat told Anadolu Agency the shelling had been on going for the past four days in the province’s Dangaam, Asmaar, Shaltan, Marawara, Sarkanoo and Khas Kunar districts.

“Since last evening, more than 140 artillery shells have been fired on the Marawara district alone.

“We are in the process of assessing the human loss, but up to 200 families are already displaced,” Himmat said.

Himmat accused Pakistani armed forces of firing more than 1,000 artillery shells in the area so far.

Defense Ministry spokesman Gen. Dawlat Waziri told Azadi Radio Pashto service that Afghan border guards in Kunar had been directed to respond to shelling by Pakistani border forces.

Earlier this week, two Pakistani soldiers were killed in an alleged cross-border attack on Pakistan's Bajaur Agency adjacent to Afghanistan’s Kunar province.