On Tuesday, a late-night Pakistani airstrike in the southern Afghan province of Khost claimed the lives of at least nine children and a woman, according to a Taliban administration spokesman. The attack, which occurred in the Gorbuz district’s Mughalgai area, has intensified the tension between Islamabad and Kabul, following a recent ceasefire agreement. The airstrikes have raised concerns about the ongoing border security issues and accusations of sheltering TTP fighters by the Taliban. The incident has marked a significant escalation in hostilities, with the neighboring states having previously clashed in October, resulting in dozens of casualties. The violence has been attributed to border security and militant activity, with Islamabad alleging that Kabul is providing sanctuary to TTP fighters, an accusation the Taliban administration has denied. Additionally, the strikes come after a suicide attack targeting Pakistan’s Federal Constabulary headquarters in Peshawar, further highlighting the volatile security situation in the region.
According to Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s spokesperson, the airstrike targeted the house of a local civilian resident named Waliat Khan, son of Qazi Mir. The strike resulted in the deaths of nine children (five boys and four girls) and one woman, with the house being destroyed in the attack. The incident has posed a serious challenge to the ceasefire agreed upon between Kabul and Islamabad last month. The recent clashes mark a significant escalation in hostilities, with the neighboring states having previously clashed in October, resulting in dozens of casualties. The violence has been attributed to border security and militant activity, with Islamabad accusing Kabul of sheltering TTP fighters, an accusation the Taliban administration has denied. Additionally, the strikes come after a suicide attack targeting Pakistan’s Federal Constabulary headquarters in Peshawar, further highlighting the volatile security situation in the region.
The neighboring states have clashed in October, resulting in dozens of casualties, which has been the worst violence since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. The escalation was attributed to border security and militant activity. Islamabad has accused Kabul of sheltering Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters, allegations that the Taliban administration has dismissed. Pakistan has not officially commented on Kabul’s allegations, but its Inter-Services Public Relations department stated that it killed 22 terrorists in an intelligence-based operation in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan. The recent attacks have intensified the already tense relationship between the two nations, with the possibility of further violence and political instability looming.