Dozens Killed and Injured in Pakistani Airstrikes Within Afghanistan

SadaNews - At least 12 people were killed and dozens injured in Pakistani airstrikes targeting locations within Afghanistan near the shared border between the two countries, according to Afghan officials and local sources on Wednesday.

These strikes are among the deadliest in recent weeks amid ongoing security tensions between the two neighbors.

The Afghan government spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, reported on the "X" platform that the Pakistani army violated Afghan airspace again last night, conducting airstrikes that targeted civilian homes in the provinces of Kunar, Khost, and Paktika.

He noted that the attacks resulted in the deaths of 11 children and a woman, in addition to an elderly man.

In Khost province, a local official - who preferred to remain anonymous - reported that an airstrike targeted a house in the Spira district, killing nine people and injuring ten others.

Local residents in the neighboring Paktika province also confirmed that a separate attack in the Parmal area resulted in the deaths of three civilians, including children, after a residential house was targeted.

There was no immediate comment from the Pakistani army or the Prime Minister's office regarding these accusations. However, Islamabad has consistently asserted that its military operations within Afghan territory target militants responsible for attacks against Pakistan, not civilians.

These strikes come after a period of relative calm along the border since confrontations between the two countries erupted in late February.

A report by the United Nations last month indicated that at least 372 Afghan civilians were killed and 397 others injured during the first three months of this year as a result of violence related to the conflict.

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been under continuous strain since the Taliban regained power in 2021. Islamabad accuses Afghan authorities of harboring armed elements, primarily the Pakistani Taliban, which claims recurring attacks within Pakistani territory.

As violence has escalated since October, the borders between the two countries have largely been closed, leading to paralysis in bilateral trade and complicating political and security relations between the two sides.