Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of air strikes ahead of leaders’ talks

The tension comes ahead of a scheduled visit to Kabul on Friday by Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. (AP)

• Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani are expected to discuss cooperation on stopping militant attacks during their meeting on Friday.
• Afghanistan’s Western-backed government has long accused Pakistan of harboring Afghan Taliban insurgents, a charge that Islamabad denies.

Kabul: The Afghan government on Thursday accused Pakistan of air strikes in the Afghan province of Kunar, which borders Pakistan, causing “huge financial damage.”
The tension comes ahead of a scheduled visit to Kabul on Friday by Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, when he and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani are expected to discuss cooperation on stopping militant attacks.
Pakistani jets dropped four bombs on Wednesday evening in Kunar’s Dangam district, according to a statement from Afghanistan’s ministry of foreign affairs. It did not elaborate on the damage and made no mention of any casualties.
“Afghanistan warns that continuing violations of international norms ... will have further consequences on the relations between the two countries,” the ministry said.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry and military did not respond to requests for comment.
Afghanistan’s Western-backed government has long accused Pakistan of harboring Afghan Taliban insurgents, a charge that Islamabad denies.
Islamabad, in turn, accuses Afghanistan of not doing enough to eradicate Pakistani Taliban militants, many of whom are based in Afghanistan and mostly carry out attacks inside Pakistan.