Pakistan launched mortar and missile strikes on a university and civilian homes in north-eastern Afghanistan on Monday, killing seven people and wounding at least 85, according to Afghan officials. The attack targeted the city of Asadabad, capital of Kunar province, and surrounding areas.
This is the first major violent incident since Chinese-mediated peace talks earlier this month, during which both sides agreed not to escalate the conflict. The strikes underscore the fragility of ceasefire efforts, which had been bolstered by a temporary truce over the Eid al-Fitr holiday.
Afghan deputy government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said the wounded included women, children and students at Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani University. The Ministry of Higher Education reported about 30 students and professors were injured. Local residents described scenes of devastation, with one labourer recounting how his nephew was hit while playing outside.
Pakistan’s information ministry dismissed the Afghan reports as 'frivolous and fake', insisting that its targeting is 'precise and intelligence-based' and that no strike was carried out on the university. The denial comes amid ongoing accusations from Pakistan that Afghanistan harbours Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants, a charge Kabul rejects.
The attack follows months of deadly cross-border clashes that have killed hundreds since February, when Afghanistan retaliated against Pakistani airstrikes. The UN has reported that the conflict has displaced around 94,000 people overall.
