KABUL, JUN 10: Afghanistan on Wednesday accused Pakistan of carrying out fresh airstrikes in three eastern provinces, killing at least 13 people and injuring 14 others, further intensifying tensions between the neighbouring countries amid months of deadly cross-border hostilities.
Taliban chief spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the strikes targeted the provinces of Khost, Kunar and Paktika. According to Afghan authorities, those killed included 11 children, one woman and one elderly man.
Pakistan had not officially acknowledged the strikes at the time of reporting.
The latest escalation came a day after suspected militants of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attacked a security post in the Hasan Khel area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, triggering a fierce gunbattle. Pakistan’s Interior Ministry said six members of the Federal Constabulary were killed and several others injured in the attack.
Local officials said security forces repelled the assault, killing eight militants and preventing them from overrunning the checkpoint. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi later attended funeral prayers for the slain personnel in Peshawar and paid tribute to their sacrifices.
Naqvi expressed condolences to the bereaved families and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to intensifying operations against militant groups threatening the country’s peace and security.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have been engaged in recurring clashes since late February, when Afghanistan launched a cross-border attack in response to Pakistani airstrikes inside Afghan territory.
In February, Pakistan declared it was in open conflict with Afghanistan following a surge in militant attacks targeting civilians and security personnel within Pakistan. Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of carrying out a deadly airstrike on a drug-treatment centre in Kabul in March, claiming more than 400 people were killed. Pakistan has denied targeting civilians and maintained that its forces struck an ammunition depot.
The renewed violence comes despite diplomatic efforts to ease tensions. Earlier this year, China hosted peace talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Urumqi, after which both sides reportedly agreed to avoid further escalation and explore peaceful solutions to their disputes.
Pakistan continues to accuse Afghanistan of providing safe haven to militants, particularly the TTP, which Islamabad says is responsible for numerous attacks inside Pakistan. While the TTP is separate from the Afghan Taliban, it maintains close ideological and operational ties with the group. Kabul has repeatedly rejected Pakistan’s allegations and denied sheltering militants.
