KABUL – The Afghan government has vowed to retaliate against Pakistan following alleged airstrikes that struck three eastern provinces overnight. According to a statement released by government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, the strikes resulted in the deaths of nine children and one woman.
Mujahid took to social media platform X to declare that Kabul will respond to what he termed “this crime” in a manner and time deemed appropriate. He stated earlier that Pakistani forces targeted a civilian residence in the Khost province, resulting in the deaths of ten individuals: five boys, four girls, and one woman. Additional reports indicate that strikes also occurred in the Kunar and Paktika provinces, injuring four others.
The Pakistani military and government have yet to comment on the alleged attacks. These incidents follow a deadly attack in Peshawar, northwestern Pakistan, where three police officers were killed and eleven others wounded. No group has claimed responsibility for the Peshawar attack. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif affirmed that those responsible would be found and punished, reiterating his commitment to thwarting what he called “evil schemes of terrorists targeting the safety of Pakistan.”
Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have deteriorated in recent months due to security and immigration-related issues. Ties between the two nations have reached their lowest point in years, exacerbated by border clashes last month that resulted in over 70 fatalities on both sides. While a ceasefire agreement was signed in Doha last October, peace talks in Turkey collapsed without a long-term resolution.
Islamabad accuses Kabul of harboring militant groups, particularly the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has conducted deadly attacks within Pakistan. Afghanistan denies these allegations. The 2,600-kilometer border between the two countries has been closed since October 12th, disrupting vital bilateral trade.
DZWatch is following this developing story and will provide updates as they become available.
