ISLAMABAD—Pakistan announced an investigation Tuesday into how several artillery shells crossed into Kunar, struck Afghan villages and killed civilians without first obtaining the necessary permission to embarrass the government.
A military spokesman said investigators would question the shells, inspect their travel documents and determine whether Afghan homes had positioned themselves provocatively beneath the explosions. “Maps can be emotional,” he said. “We must hear both coordinates.”
Kabul demanded accountability, prompting Islamabad to form a committee empowered to locate a more convenient version of Kunar. Residents were advised to preserve evidence, although most of it was still smoking.
The inquiry will conclude that the border is disputed, the casualties are regrettable and the artillery acted alone.