Pakistan Strike in Kunar Kills One, Wounds 16

Pakistani forces launched fresh rocket and heavy-weapon attacks on residential areas in Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar province on Sunday evening, killing at least one civilian and injuring 16 others, most of them women and children, according to local officials. The shelling struck areas around Asadabad, the provincial capital, and nearby homes, adding to fears of a wider border escalation.

Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman, said the attack took place at around 5 p.m. and targeted civilian homes rather than military positions. He said the wounded were transferred for treatment and accused Pakistan of once again using heavy fire in populated border areas.

The latest strike comes only days after fighting resumed along the Afghanistan-Pakistan frontier following the collapse of a brief Eid ceasefire. Pakistan has said its military operations are aimed at militants it accuses of using Afghanistan territory, particularly fighters linked to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a claim Kabul has repeatedly denied.

The renewed violence has unfolded during one of the most dangerous periods in Afghanistan-Pakistan relations in years, with artillery exchanges, airstrikes and border closures affecting civilians on both sides. Rights groups and aid agencies have warned that repeated attacks on villages and civilian infrastructure are worsening an already fragile humanitarian crisis.

Against this backdrop, political and tribal figures are expected to gather in Peshawar on March 31 for a Pak-Afghan Peace Jirga, an initiative aimed at easing tensions and building a framework for dialogue between the two neighboring countries. Organizers say the meeting will bring together political leaders, tribal elders, religious scholars, civil society members and business representatives, with a joint declaration for peace expected at the end.

The Peshawar meeting is likely to be closely watched because it comes as diplomatic channels remain strained and border incidents continue to outpace formal negotiations. Analysts say the jirga may not immediately stop the fighting, but it could provide an important public platform for de-escalation at a time when official state-to-state engagement has largely stalled.

The humanitarian toll of the current conflict continues to rise. The United Nations has warned that dozens of civilians have already been killed or wounded in recent cross-border violence, while aid agencies say more than 115,000 people have been displaced by the fighting and repeated attacks in border districts.

The situation is being further complicated by tighter border restrictions, the disruption of movement through crossings such as Torkham, and growing uncertainty for Afghan families already facing economic hardship and displacement. Pakistan has also linked its security measures to broader refugee and border-control policies, adding another layer of pressure on civilians.

Unless both sides move quickly toward a credible ceasefire and sustained dialogue, the violence risks deepening instability along a border that has long remained volatile. For many civilians in Kunar and other eastern provinces, the immediate concern is no longer politics, but survival under the threat of more shelling.

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