Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan escalated sharply as Afghanistan’s Taliban government condemned a recent airstrike it attributed to Pakistani forces, resulting in the deaths of 10 individuals, including nine children. The strike occurred in Khost province, with Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid announcing the casualties via social media, asserting that a civilian residence was the target.
Local residents, grappling with the aftermath of the attack, were seen sifting through the debris of a collapsed home. One individual from the Jige Mughalgai area, Sajidulrahman, voiced his frustration, pleading with the Pakistani government to refrain from bombing civilian areas, stressing that the local population posed no threat.
Reports indicated that drones and aircraft carried out the strikes not only in Khost but also in the bordering provinces of Kunar and Paktika, leaving at least four others injured, according to Afghan officials. Mujahid reiterated the Taliban’s commitment to defending its airspace and territory, warning that the group would respond “appropriately at the right time” to what it deemed a violation of its sovereignty.
In Pakistan, the military declined to comment on the airstrikes. This military action followed a deadly suicide bombing in Peshawar on Monday, which claimed the lives of three officers and injured 11 others at a paramilitary headquarters. No group claimed responsibility, but local reports suggested that the attackers were Afghan nationals.
President Asif Zardari of Pakistan has accused foreign-backed groups, specifically the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), of orchestrating the attack and operating from Afghan territory. Tensions have intensified since a previous suicide blast earlier in the month, which left 12 people dead outside a court in Islamabad, also attributed to TTP members.
The relationship between Pakistan and the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan has been increasingly strained since the latter regained power in 2021. Hostilities peaked last October when border clashes resulted in around 70 fatalities. Although Qatar and Turkey mediated a ceasefire, subsequent negotiations in Doha and Istanbul aimed at establishing lasting peace have struggled to produce meaningful agreements.
Security concerns remain a critical issue, with Pakistan demanding that the Taliban take action against TTP fighters. Islamabad maintains that the Afghan Taliban harbors militants responsible for a recent surge in violence, while Kabul counters by claiming Pakistan shelters groups inimical to Afghanistan and violates its sovereignty.
Since the October skirmishes, the border between the two nations has remained largely closed, severely impacting bilateral trade. The Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry reported thousands of shipping containers stuck at the border, each accruing daily charges of $150 to $200, with officials deeming the financial strain “unbearable.”
