Islamabad: Pakistan and Afghanistan have entered a new phase of volatility after a series of overnight airstrikes killed nine children and one woman in eastern Afghanistan, according to Taliban authorities. The deaths occurred in Khost province’s Mughalgai area, where Afghan officials say Pakistani forces targeted the home of a local resident around midnight.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, in a strongly worded statement on X, claimed that Pakistan “bombed the house of a civilian, Waliat Khan,” resulting in the deaths of “five boys, four girls and a woman.” The airstrike reportedly flattened the house. Mujahid further alleged that Pakistani forces launched similar operations in Kunar and Paktika, leaving four more civilians injured.
The latest escalation comes amid a months-long cycle of cross-border hostility. Since October, Pakistan has repeatedly conducted strikes inside Afghan territory, claiming they are aimed at militants affiliated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Kabul has consistently denied those claims, accusing Islamabad of attacking populated areas and causing civilian casualties. Earlier strikes had also killed three Afghan cricketers, a move that drew outrage in Afghanistan.
Despite diplomatic engagements between the two sides over a potential ceasefire, Pakistan’s cross-border operations have continued. Security analysts say the recent escalation reflects Islamabad’s growing frustration over rising TTP attacks within Pakistan, many of which it blames on militants operating from Afghan soil. Kabul insists it does not allow any armed group to use its territory to target neighbouring countries.
Historically, relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been tense since the 1940s, when Kabul demanded the formation of “Pashtunistan.” Border clashes broke out in 1949 and continued intermittently for decades, with the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan adding further complexity to the volatile frontier.
