Afghanistan warns Pakistan over cross-border shelling
UNITED NATIONS: Afghanistan has called on Pakistan to halt
cross-border shelling, warning the UN Security Council that the attacks
could jeopardize already tense relations between the two countries.
A UN envoy meanwhile said that there were a growing number of
"uprisings" against the Taliban in areas of Afghanistan under the
Islamist group's control.
Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul said Thursday that
attacks from Pakistan into his country were "a matter of deep and
serious concern" and had caused "unprecedented anger and frustration
among Afghans."
Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of staging repeated shelling
barrages across the poorly policed border into Kunar province.
"We reiterate our call for an immediate and complete end to these
acts, which have taken the lives of dozen of Afghans, mainly civilians,
while leaving many wounded," Rassoul told the 15-nation council during a
meeting.
He said the Afghan government was in contact with Pakistan to end the
attacks "holistically and resolutely." Rassoul said that Afghanistan
wants "close and fruitful relations" with its neighbor, which has
frequently been accused of backing Taliban militants seeking to
overthrow President Hamid Karzai's government.
Pakistan in turn says groups of Pakistani Taliban sheltering in
Afghanistan have infiltrated the border to resume attacks on its
security forces. AFP |