PESHAWAR, July 30: Afghan militiamen using heavy weapons continued intermittent fire on Pakistani security checkpoints in the volatile border region of northwestern Mohmand Agency on Wednesday, security officials said.
“The Afghans fired with small and heavy weapons for some 35 minutes at Yaqubi Kandao on Wednesday,” a security official told AFP.
“Since the Pakistani troops opened this inaccessible area, Afghan militia is firing on our troops,” the official said, requesting anonymity.
Pakistan deployed troops in the tribal region of the Agency last month to block the infiltration of suspected Taliban and Al Qaeda activists from Afghanistan.
Afghan tribesmen resented the move, charging that Pakistani troops had set up check-posts deep inside Afghan territory and a mob later attacked the Pakistani mission in Kabul, damaging furniture and fixtures.
“Daily firing is reported in this area,” the official said, adding that Afghan militia also resorted to heavy firing on Tuesday when a fact-finding team of a tripartite committee comprising, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States, visited the border region to verify claims of Pakistani incursion.
“It was unusually intense firing by Afghan militia when the security officials of tripartite commission visited the area,” he said.
The tripartite team was briefed by Pakistani officials who made it clear that Pakistan never crossed into Afghan territory, he said.
The team will submit its report to the three-way commission later, official said.—AFP
