The Taliban say blasts and gunfire in Iran targeted and killed at least 2 Afghans earlier this month

A Taliban spokesperson says explosions and gunfire successful Iran targeted and killed astatine slightest 2 Afghans earlier this month

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Explosions and gunfire successful Iran killed astatine slightest 2 Afghans earlier this month, nan Taliban authorities successful Afghanistan said connected Thursday.

Iran has denied immoderate shooting took spot adjacent Saravan, a municipality successful nan country’s restive southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchistan, which borders Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.

A high-ranking Taliban committee has been investigating nan incident for nan past fewer weeks.

Taliban lawman spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat said nan committee recovered that explosions and gunfire targeted Afghans successful nan Kalgan Valley, wrong Iranian territory. He did not opportunity who was responsible for nan attack.

“As of now, nan bodies of 2 martyrs and 34 eyewitnesses, immoderate of whom were injured successful nan incident, person been transported by nan committee," nan spokesperson said. “Some of nan others who were injured stay successful Iran and Pakistan and nan committee is actively moving to find and transportation them (to Afghanistan).”

The casualty figures are acold little than nan ones fixed by HalVash, an defense group for nan Baluch group that is broadly focused connected Iran. It issued reports astir nan shooting, citing 2 unidentified witnesses and others arsenic claiming a decease toll of astatine slightest dozens, pinch much wounded.

HalVash alleged that Iranian information forces utilized some firearms and rocket-propelled grenades successful nan attack.

Large numbers of Afghans person called Iran location for decades, from nan 1979 Soviet penetration of Afghanistan done nan first norm of nan Taliban, nan 2003 U.S.-led penetration and nan 2021 Taliban takeover of nan state arsenic U.S. and NATO troops pulled out.

The United Nations’ exile agency estimates that 3.8 cardinal displaced group unrecorded successful Iran, nan immense mostly of them Afghans. Some successful Iran propose nan number of Afghans is moreover higher.

However, anti-Afghan migrant rhetoric has escalated successful Iran successful caller months arsenic Western sanctions grind down its economy, pinch nan country’s constabulary main saying immoderate 2 cardinal migrants would beryllium deported successful nan adjacent six months.

Fitrat, nan Taliban spokesman, said nan business crossed nan separator was unclear arsenic nan Taliban did not person entree to nan Kalgan Valley area. Nor was it clear if those near location were dormant aliases injured, he added.