Taliban authorities said 13 civilians, including 11 children, were killed after Pakistani military airstrikes targeted homes in eastern Afghanistan….reports Asian Lite News Desk
At least 13 civilians, including 11 children, were killed and several others injured in Pakistani military airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan, according to Taliban authorities, who condemned the attacks as a violation of the country’s sovereignty.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the strikes targeted civilian homes in the provinces of Kunar, Khost and Paktika on Tuesday night. The casualties included 11 children, one woman and an elderly man, while 14 other women and children were reported injured.
In a statement posted on social media platform X, Mujahid accused Pakistan of violating Afghan airspace and carrying out attacks on residential areas.
“Last night, the Pakistani military once again violated Afghanistan’s airspace and bombed civilian homes in the provinces of Kunar, Khost, and Paktika. As a result of these attacks, 11 children, one woman, and one elderly man were killed, while 14 other women and children were injured,” he said.
The Taliban administration described the strikes as a humanitarian crime and an act of aggression, while renewing criticism of Pakistan’s military actions along the shared border.
The latest incident adds to growing tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which have witnessed repeated cross border clashes and accusations in recent months. Relations between the two neighbours have deteriorated amid security concerns, with both sides blaming each other for instability along the frontier.
Last month, Taliban officials reported that Pakistani military strikes in Afghanistan’s Kunar province killed three people and injured 14 others. Local authorities in the Dangam district also claimed that schools, mosques and a health clinic were damaged during the attacks.
According to district officials, dozens of livestock were also killed, while several educational institutions have reportedly been destroyed since the escalation of hostilities in the region.
The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has also expressed concern over the growing civilian toll from cross border violence. In a report released last month, UNAMA said at least 372 civilians were killed and 397 injured between January and March this year due to clashes involving Afghan de facto security forces and the Pakistani military.
The UN mission documented more than 750 civilian casualties during the period, with many linked to airstrikes and military operations conducted after Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil Haq in February.
The latest allegations are likely to further strain already fragile relations between Kabul and Islamabad, as concerns mount over the humanitarian impact of continuing cross border military actions.
