Pakistan renews air strikes on Afghanistan, killing several

Pakistan launched air strikes on Afghanistan on Wednesday, marking the worst violence in weeks and breaking a period of relative calm along the border. The attacks targeted provinces near the frontier, including Khost, Kunar, and Paktika, resulting in significant casualties that have drawn sharp contrasts between the two governments.

Afghan government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid reported that 11 children, one woman, and one elderly man were killed in the strikes. An AFP journalist observed a house completely destroyed in Khost province, where residents were digging graves to bury those killed in the overnight attack. Provincial officials in Khost’s Spera district confirmed nine people were killed and 10 wounded, including children. In Paktika’s Barmal district, residents reported a separate attack that killed three civilians, identified as children.

Islamabad stated the strikes were in response to recent terrorist incidents in Pakistan and targeted hideouts of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Information minister Attaullah Tarar wrote on X that "precise and calibrated strikes" killed 26 militants linked to the group. Tarar did not comment on civilian casualties, leaving the exact toll contested between Afghan authorities and Pakistani officials.

The attacks follow months of fighting that erupted in late February, during which at least 372 Afghan civilians were killed and 397 wounded, according to a United Nations report published last month. Previous escalations included unprecedented Pakistani air strikes on Afghan cities, including Kabul and Kandahar.

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been strained since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Pakistan accuses the Afghan government of sheltering TTP militants, while Afghan officials deny harbouring militants and counter that Pakistan violates Afghan sovereignty. The border has remained largely closed since a flare-up in violence in October, freezing bilateral trade.