13 Killed in Pakistani Airstrikes in Afghanistan

At least 13 people, including 11 children, were killed and 14 others injured in Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan territory, according to officials from Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government, marking a further escalation in tensions between the neighboring countries.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the strikes targeted the Afghan provinces of Khost, Kunar and Paktika. Afghan authorities reported that the victims included 11 children, one woman and one elderly man.

The latest strikes come amid months of cross-border violence between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which has resulted in hundreds of casualties since fighting intensified earlier this year.

The air raids followed an attack by suspected militants linked to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan on a security post in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Pakistani authorities said six federal police officers were killed during the assault, while security forces later repelled the attack and killed eight militants.

Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi attended funeral prayers for the slain officers and reaffirmed the government's commitment to expanding operations against militant groups threatening national security.

Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have sharply deteriorated amid mutual accusations of cross-border attacks. Afghanistan has previously accused Pakistan of carrying out deadly airstrikes on civilian targets, while Pakistan maintains that its operations are directed solely at militant infrastructure and not civilians.

The renewed violence comes despite recent diplomatic efforts led by China, which hosted talks aimed at reducing tensions and encouraging both sides to pursue a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

However, the latest escalation highlights the fragile security situation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and growing concerns over regional stability.