Children Among 13 Dead Following Pakistani Airstrikes in Afghanistan
At least 13 people have lost their lives following a series of Pakistani military airstrikes across three provinces in Afghanistan, Reuters reports. The aerial bombardment, which reportedly killed 11 children, threatens to reignite a deadly cross-border conflict that has already claimed hundreds of lives this year.
Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the attacks on Wednesday. He stated that the Pakistani military violated Afghan airspace to bomb civilian residences across the provinces of Kunar, Khost and Paktika.
Alongside the 13 confirmed fatalities, Mujahid reported that at least 14 other individuals sustained injuries during the strikes. According to the spokesperson, all of the wounded are women and children.
Accusations of harbouring militants
While the Pakistani government and military have not yet issued an official public statement regarding the incident, security officials spoke anonymously to Reuters. They claimed that Islamabad authorised the airstrikes to eliminate hidden facilities and safe havens used by militants to launch cross-border attacks against Pakistan.
The strikes highlight a persistent diplomatic rift between the two nations. Islamabad frequently accuses Kabul of harbouring dangerous militant factions. However, the Taliban has consistently denied these allegations and maintains that any militancy occurring within Pakistan’s borders is a purely domestic issue.
This renewed violence severely threatens to destabilise a recent lull in hostilities between the former allies. Tensions previously reached a boiling point in February when the two nations engaged in their most intense border battles in years.
Following the severe winter clashes, Pakistan and Afghanistan eventually agreed to a fragile ceasefire in March. The temporary truce was established with the diplomatic assistance of China, which stepped in to mediate a long-term settlement to the ongoing regional conflict.
