Afghanistan rejects Pak claims of killing 50 Afghan soldiers

Islamabad [Afghanistan], May 8 (ANI): Afghanistan has rejected claims that Pakistani security forces killed 50 Afghan soldiers in retaliation to the Chaman cross-border attack. Afghanistan's Ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal on Monday dismissed claims that Pakistani security forces killed 50 Afghan soldiers, saying that only two Afghan soldiers were slain and seven others injured. However, the envoy added that even two lives are too many for the country. "Woke up to celebratory front page headlines today on all Pak papers saying Pak killed 50 Afg soldiers & injured 100 in Chaman clash. Was based on info provided by Pak army and FC south command. Truth is only 2 Afg soldiers got Shaheed and about 7 injured (sic),"Ambassador Zakhilwal tweeted. "However, even two lives are too many if our claim for seeking good neighbourly relations is genuine & if we mean well for each other," he added. Ambassador Zakhilwal claimed that Chaman clash had left casualties, deaths & injured, on Pakistan side too but Afghanistan instead of celebrating called it unfortunate & regrettable. "Chaman clash left casualties, deaths & injured, on Pak side too but we instead of celebrating called it unfortunate & regrettable," he tweeted. The head of Afghanistan Government's Media and Information Center Sediq Sediqi also dismissed the claims regarding the killing of 50 Afghan troops by the Pakistani military forces. Khaama Press quoted Sediqi as saying that the claims are absolutely wrong and the Afghan government strongly rejects the claims. Sediqi claimed that the Pakistani troops launched the attack first and the Afghan troops were only preventing the illegal movements of the Pakistani security forces inside the Afghan soil. This comes as Pakistan's Inspector General Frontier Corps (FC) Major General Nadeem Ahmed claimed today that Afghan forces targeted civilian population while Pakistan targeted their check-posts, leaving 50 Afghan troops dead and 100 others wounded. However, the Afghan officials are saying that the Pakistani military forces were conducting census inside the Loqman village which is located inside the Spin Boldak district of Kandahar and the clashes started after the Afghan border forces interfered to prevent the Pakistani forces activities inside the Afghan soil. Inspector General Frontier Corps Balochistan Maj Gen. Nadeem Anjum said, "We are not happy over their losses since they are our Muslim brothers." The attack forced evacuation in Killi Luqman, Killi Jahangir and Badshah Adda Kahol as Chaman Border was shut down and security ramped up in Quetta and parts of Balochistan. Southern Command Commander Lt. Gen. Aamir Riaz termed the cross-border attack as shameful. Pakistani and Afghanistan military commanders agreed to carry out a geological survey of the border area.(ANI)