The Afghan Presidential Office on Thursday said the attack at the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul was "organised and orchestrated" from Pakistan. President Ashraf Ghani has demanded that Pakistani Army Chief General Raheel Sharif take "serious measures against the terrorists" behind the incident, in which 16 people were killed and 53 others injured, according to AFP.

The Pakistani military said it had conducted a combing operation along the border after Afghan authorities shared three mobile numbers that were allegedly used to communacte with the assailants. The military said, "The outcome of the op so far has been shared with Afghan authorities."

Explosions and heavy gunfire were reported at the university on Wednesday evening (local time). Militants stormed the campus after a suicide bombing at the varsity's gate. A spokesperson for the Health Ministry, Waheed Majroh, said there were eight students among the fatalities, and a number of those injured are in critical condition. Hundreds of students were rescued in the 10-hour-long counter operation.

While no group has claimed responsibility so far, the incident comes at a time when the Taliban has been upping its attacks on the government. Also, Pakistan has long been accused of sheltering militants of the terror outfit.