Pakistani Shells Kill 42 in Afghanistan

Pakistani shells fired into Afghanistan in recent weeks have killed 42 and wounded 48, according to angry Afghan officials and elders. “Seven hundred families have been displaced" and women and children are among the dead, says one Afghan general. Pakistan’s media says the shells were fired in pursuit of Taliban militants, but Afghan officials doubt it. “One or 2 or 10 rounds, yes, that could be if they were chasing the Taliban,” the general tells the New York Times. “But how come 800 rounds?"

Though Karzai and the country’s foreign ministry have met with top Pakistani officials, other Afghan leaders say the country’s response has been weak. “The president is not taking a serious position,” says one official. Western officials fear that if the attacks don’t stop soon, locals in the disputed border region may retaliate. It's not clear if the Pakistani military is responsible for the attacks, but tribal elders think so, and some have warned that they are prepared “to fight them with our bare hands.” (More Afghanistan stories.)