Amid growing anger, cross-border shelling continues

ASADABAD (PAN): Amid increasing anger among residents, artillery shells fired from the Pakistani soil continued to hit villages in eastern Kunar province, where 91 artillery rounds landed over the past 24 hours, an official said on Friday.

The spokesman for provincial governor, Wasifullah Wasifi, confirmed that 91 artillery rounds were fired into the Dangam district during the period. No one was killed or wounded, but some residents suffered property damage, he said.

A resident of the district, Muzammil, told Pajhwok Afghan News residents could not enter their homes due to the cross-border attacks. He said if the attacks continued, residents could plunge into severe economic crisis.

The government should put pressure on the international community to intervene into the periodic incursions, the gubernatorial spokesman said.

The latest attacks come two days after a huge gathering of tribal elders, religious scholars and residents asked the government for a tit-for-tat response to the aggression.

The gathering also announced the creation of a commission which would enroll youth for participation in counterattacks. So far 30 people have been killed and wounded due to the shelling over the past three months.

Earlier this month, parliament voted to dismiss both the interior and defence ministers over continued cross-border shelling which the government has blamed on Pakistan voted to remove the pair despite their promises to reinforce the border

The Kabul government has rushed additional troops and long-range artillery to the mountainous Pakistan border as tensions continue to rise over cross-border shelling.

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