Pakistan fires into Kunar province

Pakistan launched mortar and missile strikes into Afghanistan's Kunar province on April 28, ending a three-week ceasefire. The attacks hit a university and other sites, killing seven and wounding 85. (indiatoday.in) Kunar provincial officials confirmed the strikes targeted areas near the Pakistan border. Local reports described explosions at the university campus and nearby villages, with civilian casualties including students. (indiatoday.in) Afghan authorities called the attack unprovoked. "Pakistan violated our sovereignty after we held fire for weeks," said a Kunar spokesman. (indiatoday.in) Pakistan rarely comments publicly on such cross-border actions. Islamabad has long accused Afghan soil of harboring Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan militants who launch attacks into Pakistan. (indiatoday.in) The three-week ceasefire began mid-April amid U.S. pressure for de-escalation. Both nations agreed informally after backchannel talks, but tensions over militants persist. (indiatoday.in) Kunar sits along the rugged Durand Line, the disputed 1893 border neither side fully recognizes. Strikes there often spark revenge raids from both Pakistani and Afghan forces. (indiatoday.in) These strikes coincide with Pakistan's bid to broker Iran-U.S. peace talks. Islamabad offered to mediate nuclear deal revival in recent weeks. (moneycontrol.com) Iran distrusts Pakistan deeply over alleged sheltering of Sunni militants like Jaish-ul-Adl. Tehran views Islamabad's diplomacy as opportunistic amid its own border clashes with Pakistan. (moneycontrol.com) Pakistan's mediation push follows failed direct U.S.-Iran talks in Oman last month. Critics say the Kunar strikes expose Islamabad's inconsistent regional stance. (indiatoday.in) (moneycontrol.com) Afghanistan warned of retaliation. No further strikes reported as of April 29, but the fragile border truce hangs in balance. (indiatoday.in) ```