JALALABAD, Afghanistan: Taliban officials said two civilians were killed in attacks by Pakistani forces in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Afghanistan and Pakistan have been fighting for months over claims from Islamabad that Kabul is harboring extremists behind cross-border attacks on its territory. Afghanistan denies the allegation.
One person died due to artillery fire in Nari district, Ziaur Rahman Spin Ghar, head of the information and culture department in Kunar province, said in a statement.
In Kunar’s Sarkani district, Afghan forces attacked Pakistani military posts, he added, while Pakistani forces launched artillery fire and drone strikes, killing one civilian.
Given the inaccessibility of some remote areas in Pakistan and Afghanistan, it is difficult to independently and immediately verify the number of casualties.
Both sides announced a truce over the Eid Al-Fitr holiday marking the end of Ramadan, but it ended on Monday evening.
The truce came after a Pakistani strike on a drug rehabilitation center in Kabul on March 16 which Afghan authorities said killed more than 400.
The UN assistance mission in Afghanistan on Monday said preliminary figures from their investigation indicated that there were 143 killed and 119 wounded. But a spokesperson told AFP the toll was likely to increase.
According to a UN toll, not taking into account the drug rehabilitation center strike, at least 76 Afghan civilians have been killed in the fighting since it intensified on February 26.
