At least four civilians were killed and fives others were wounded after Pakistan troops started shelling on the Afghan side of the Durand Line on Wednesday night, local officials said on Thursday. 

The shelling started at 9 pm local time and the Pakistani troops targeted Sarkot, Pakha Mela and Afghan Dubai villages in Spera district in the province, a spokesman for provincial governor, Adil Haidar, confirmed. 

Meanwhile, a security delegation, including deputy security chief of the Interior Ministry, visited Khost province on Thursday to “review the situation”, officials said.

The attack come hours after Pakistan forces claimed that at least three Pakistani soldiers were killed and seven others were wounded when a group of militants from the Afghan side of the Durand Line attacked Pakistani troops in Alwara, North Waziristan.

“While Pakistan security forces are solidifying border security through fencing and construction of forts to deny liberty of action to the terrorists, Afghan Security Forces and the authorities need to have more effective control in [the] border region to support Pakistan’s efforts as well as deny use of Afghan soil against Pakistan,” the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement published by Pakistani news agencies. 

The Pakistani military’s media wing added that Pakistan’s fencing efforts will continue despite “all such impediments”.

Meanwhile, the Afghan Charge d’ Affaires was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad where he was informed about Pakistan’s concerns about repeated cross-Durand Line attacks from Afghanistan’s soil.

The Afghan diplomat was informed that Pakistan strongly protests such provocations which are detrimental to peace and stability along Pakistan-Afghanistan border. 

The Afghan side was urged to take immediate action against the elements on their side and ensure effective measures so that such incidents are not repeated in future.