Pakistan says 6 civilians killed in shelling from Afghanistan

KARACHI, Pakistan

Pakistan on Sunday said at least six civilians were killed and dozens of others injured due to "unprovoked" and "indiscriminate" firing by Afghan forces near the Chaman border crossing in southwestern Balochistan province.

Heavy weapons including artillery and mortars were used in the firing by Afghan forces, according to Pakistan military’s media wing.

“Pakistani border troops have given befitting albeit measured response against the uncalled for aggression, but avoided targeting innocent civilians in the area,” the Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement.

It added that Islamabad had also approached authorities in Kabul to “highlight severity of the situation and demanded strict action to obviate any such recurrence of the incident in future.”

Afghan border troops, according to Chaman police, targeted civilian population inhabited along the porous border.

Dr. Abdul Malik Achakzai, head of the Chaman district hospital, told reporters that six bodies and 20 injured were brought to the medical facility.

Earlier, an Afghan Information Ministry spokesperson, wishing not to be named, told Anadolu Agency: "We have heard some reports in this regard. We are looking into the matter, and will inform media once the situation is clear."

Clashes between troops at the Pak-Afghan border have long been taking place, with no lull even after the Taliban taking power in the war-torn country last August.

Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan share 18 border crossing points, with the busiest ones being the northwestern Torkham and Chaman border posts.