Afghan-Pakistani Team to Investigate Cross-Border Shelling

Posted August 15th, 2012 at 4:45 am (UTC-5)
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The presidents of Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to send a joint military delegation to investigate recent cross-border shelling incidents that have raised tensions between the two neighbors.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari met Tuesday on the sidelines of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation summit in Mecca.

A statement from President Karzai's press office says the Afghan leader asked his Pakistani counterpart to immediately stop attacks on Afghan soil, saying they have had an “extremely negative impact” on the two nations' “friendship.”

The statement said President Zardari promised to follow up on the rocket shelling issue with Afghanistan's military delegation as soon as possible.

Tuesday's meeting came the same day Afghan officials say an Afghan post came under fire from Pakistan. Local officials say one Afghan policeman was killed and five others wounded in the shelling attack.

Islamabad has denied deliberately targeting Afghan territory, saying Pakistani troops only engage militants from where they are attacked.