Cross-border tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have escalated following deadly strikes in the eastern Afghan province of Kunar Province, where at least seven people were killed and dozens injured, according to multiple sources.
Among the injured are students and a professor from Kunar University. Taliban authorities reported that around 30 of the wounded were students, while overall casualties reached at least 75 people.
Islamabad has denied responsibility for targeting civilian areas, with Pakistan’s information ministry dismissing reports of attacks on the university and nearby residential zones as false.
Witnesses described intense bombardments during the incident. A university lecturer said explosions were heard across the campus, while a local journalist reported seeing residents fleeing as the attack unfolded. Afghan officials stated that buildings within the university compound sustained significant damage.
There are conflicting accounts regarding the nature of the attack. Taliban officials claim mortars and rockets were used, while other sources suggest the involvement of jets and drones.
The incident comes weeks after another deadly strike in Kabul, where a drug rehabilitation centre was hit. The United Nations later confirmed that 269 people were killed in that attack.
Recent months have seen a rise in violence along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, resulting in hundreds of casualties. Although a fragile ceasefire had been in place following talks mediated in China earlier this month, the latest developments have heightened tensions.
A spokesperson for the Taliban government condemned the strikes, describing them as serious violations and accusing Pakistan of escalating the conflict. In response, Pakistan has maintained that its operations are aimed at militant groups operating across the border.
Relations between the two sides have deteriorated in recent years, with Islamabad accusing Taliban authorities of harbouring insurgents linked to attacks inside Pakistan.
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