DANGAM, KUNAR PROVINCE — Afghanistan's Taliban-led government accused Pakistan of killing three civilians and injuring 14 others in a cross-border attack on Dangam, in Kunar province, and condemned the strike as a war crime. Islamabad dismissed the allegations.

Hamdullah Fitrat, the deputy government spokesman, said on X that Pakistan had deliberately targeted civilian infrastructure, including homes, schools, a health centre, and mosques in Dangam. He said 14 people were wounded in addition to the three killed.

Pakistan's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting suggested Kabul may have staged the destruction, saying that images released by Afghanistan showed damage inconsistent with artillery strikes. The ministry said the incident could be part of a "propaganda effort" to discredit Pakistan.

The exchange follows months of hostilities along the border. Cross-border attacks in March and April killed nine people, which Islamabad blamed on Afghanistan. Cross-border fighting before a ceasefire brokered by China in April 2026 left hundreds of people dead and injured.

Islamabad accuses Afghanistan of harbouring Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a Pakistani offshoot of the Afghan Taliban that is waging an armed rebellion against the government. Kabul denies the accusation.

Muhammad Amir Rana, Director of the Pak Institute for Peace Studies, said he was not hopeful of a diplomatic breakthrough anytime soon. "Precision is a real problem for Pakistan when it comes to its cross-border strikes. Effective and foolproof intelligence is the critical missing link – without it, controlling collateral damage becomes the central challenge," he said.