Kabul Accuses Islamabad Of Fresh Shelling

Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf (left) and Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul on July 19

Afghan officials have accused Pakistan of fresh crossborder missile attacks.

Fazlullah Wahedi, the governor of eastern Kunar Province, told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan that some 100 rockets were fired from Pakistan on July 23.

The fresh claims follow Kabul's warning on July 22 that any further crossborder shelling by Pakistani forces could significantly harm Afghanistan's relations with Islamabad.

The warning came after at least four people were reported killed from shelling in Afghanistan's eastern Kunar Province on July 20 and 21.

Wasifullah Wasifi, a spokesman for the Kunar government, said more than 300 heavy artillery shells and rockets were fired by Pakistani forces into Kunar's Dangam district.

The reported shelling came after new Pakistani Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf last week visited Kabul for talks with President Hamid Karzai aimed at smoothing relations.

Last month, a barrage of crossborder fire from Pakistan into Kunar forced thousands of villagers to flee their homes after Islamabad accused Kabul of protecting militants who infiltrated to kill 13 Pakistani soldiers.

Based on reporting by AP and AFP