At least 46 people, including women and children, were killed in Pakistan airstrikes on Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province, the Taliban reported. The strikes, which occurred late Tuesday in Barmal district, also left six others injured.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the airstrikes, calling them “clear aggression” and emphasized that the Taliban government would not overlook such actions. The Afghan Defense Ministry also denounced the attack, asserting that the Islamic Emirate would defend its sovereignty.
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The airstrikes follow escalating tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, where cross-border violence has intensified since the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in 2021. A resident of Barmal reported that several homes were destroyed, with one strike killing 18 members of a single family. Another attack left three dead and several injured.
The Pakistani military has yet to comment on the airstrikes, but the attack follows a deadly incident last week where the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) targeted a Pakistani army outpost, killing 16 soldiers. Despite these tensions, both countries agreed this week to work on improving bilateral relations.
