At least 17 civilians were killed in a Pakistani airstrike last night in Arghun district, in the Afghan province of Paktika, Afghan media reported, quoted by DPA, BTA reported.
Among the dead and injured are representatives of the Afghan cricket community. According to the Afghanistan Cricket Union, the dead had gathered in a house after returning from a cricket match, when the strike was carried out.
"This is completely immoral and barbaric - there is no justification for attacking civilian infrastructure," said cricket star Rashid Khan. "These unwarranted and unlawful actions are a grave violation of human rights and should not go unnoticed."
In response, the Cricket Association announced that Afghanistan would not participate in the "Tri-Nations" cricket tournament in Pakistan, scheduled for late November. The airstrike, which reportedly hit a residential building, injured 16 people, including children.
This comes despite claims that the 48-hour ceasefire, which expired last night, has been extended. On Thursday, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported at least 37 civilians killed and 425 wounded in recent fighting along the border between Afghan and Pakistani forces, including women and children.
Amid rising tensions, a high-ranking delegation led by Taliban Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqoob and their intelligence chief left for Doha on Monday for talks with Pakistani officials, the Tolo News website and a Taliban government spokesman quoted by Agence France-Presse reported. The news was confirmed by Pakistani state television, which said Islamabad's delegation was led by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif and intelligence chief Asim Malik.
Relations between the two countries have deteriorated since Pakistan launched airstrikes on Kabul on September 9, followed by airstrikes on a market in Paktika. Afghan forces responded with attacks along the "Durand" Line, the disputed Afghan-Pakistani border.
Each side accuses the other of harboring extremist organizations on its soil that carry out attacks on the other's territory.