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Pakistani, Afghan military officials agree to defuse border tension

Xinhua, May 6, 2017 Adjust font size:

Senior Pakistani and Afghan military officials have agreed to defuse tensions along the border after an earlier exchange of cross-border firing that killed nine Pakistanis and injured around 40 others.

"Hotline contact between Pakistan and Afghan Director General Military Operation was established. Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Pakistan Army Major General Sahir Shamshad Mirza condemned unprovoked firing on Pakistani villagers and security forces which caused casualties," the Pakistani military spokesman said in a statement on Friday.

Afghan Director General Military Operations "acknowledged that border is in between villages and not at the ditch which is well inside Pakistan as being perceived by them," the statement said.

The Pakistani DGMO required its Afghan counterpart that their forces stay on their side of the border and defuse the situation.

"The DGMO Pakistan Army told his counterpart that we shall continue our work within our border," the army said.

A local commander-level Border Flag meeting was also held after the DGMOs contact to ensure de-escalations along the border.

The Afghan DGMO agreed to take up the matter and issue necessary orders accordingly.

The Pakistani army spokesman said earlier that the Afghan Border Police "opened fire" on the border forces Frontier Corps (FC) detailed for security of a population census team in Balochistan province.

Afghan media has quoted Afghan officials as saying that exchange of firing started after "Pakistani forces entered Afghan side of the border."

Afghan Tolo TV quoted Kandahar Police Chief Lt. Gen. Abdul Raziq as saying that four border police forces were killed and 14 others were wounded in the clash. Endit