KABUL – Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan’s eastern border provinces killed at least three children and injured several others, Taliban authorities said Thursday, in the latest incident to strain relations between Kabul and Islamabad.
In Khost province, Taliban spokesman Mustaghfar Gurbaz said a Pakistani drone struck the home of a civilian trader, Haji Naeem Gul, in Spera district near the Durand Line around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The attack killed three children and wounded five others, who were later taken to hospital in stable condition. He stated that the targeted man had no links to armed groups.
Similar airstrikes were reported the same night in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces.
Taliban authorities in Nangarhar said three children and a woman were wounded when a house in Shinwari district was bombed. Authorities did not confirm who carried out the attack.
Pakistan has frequently launched cross-border airstrikes into Afghanistan, claiming to target fighters of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a group that has intensified attacks inside Pakistan since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021.
Islamabad accuses the Afghan Taliban of sheltering TTP militants, while Kabul denies the charge.
The strikes have fueled recurring tensions between the two sides. In April 2022, Pakistani air raids on Khost and Kunar reportedly killed dozens of civilians, triggering strong condemnation from the Taliban.
Relations have since deteriorated, with Pakistan facing a surge in TTP violence and the Taliban resisting pressure to rein in the group.
