Afghan-Pakistan Truce Under Strain Amid University Strike Protests

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Pakistan Denies Involvement in Kunar Attack, Tensions Rise Over Ceasefire

At least seven people were killed and over 80 wounded in a mortar attack on a university and residential neighborhoods in Asadabad, the capital city of Afghanistan’s eastern province of Kunar. The Taliban authorities attributed the strikes to Pakistani mortars and missiles.

Hamdullah Fitrat, the deputy spokesperson for the Taliban, described the attacks as “unforgivable war crimes” against civilians and academic institutions. However, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting rejected this account, calling reports of Pakistani involvement a “blatant lie”.

The ministry stated that no strike had been carried out on the university, but acknowledged that targeting is “precise and intelligence-based”. The Afghan government has separately confirmed that exchanges of fire have taken place along the porous border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The incident has raised concerns about the fragility of the ceasefire, which was established after peace talks in Urumqi, China. The talks, hosted by China in April, brought together delegations from both sides for the first time since February and March, when Pakistan struck Kabul multiple times.

Pakistan has accused Afghanistan of providing sanctuary to anti-Pakistan groups, including the TTP. However, Afghanistan denies these allegations. Diplomatic analysts have expressed skepticism about the outcome of the Urumqi talks, citing a lack of progress and a firm stance from Pakistan.

The incident highlights the ongoing tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with both sides maintaining their positions despite efforts to negotiate a peace agreement.

Source: Al Jazeera