The Taliban said Pakistani airstrikes overnight killed nine children and one woman after hitting a residential home in Khost province. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid also said strikes were carried out in Kunar and Paktika, injuring four civilians.
In a post on X early Tuesday, 25 November, Mujahid said the strike occurred just after midnight in the Mughlagi area of Gurbuz district, Khost, and destroyed the home of a local resident. He published images showing the bodies of several children.
Strikes Reported in Kunar and Paktika
Local sources earlier told Afghanistan International that Pakistani fighter jets bombed the Saagi area of central Asadabad in Kunar province on Monday evening. The Taliban later confirmed that airstrikes had also taken place in Paktika.
According to Mujahid, the strikes in Kunar and Paktika wounded four people and destroyed two homes. Pakistani authorities have not yet commented.
The attacks came only hours after suicide assailants targeted a security facility in Peshawar. Pakistani media, citing officials, reported that the attackers were Afghan nationals. According to local accounts, one bomber detonated explosives at the compound entrance while others were killed in clashes with security forces. Pakistani officials confirmed that three security personnel were killed and several others injured.
Previous Strikes and Failed Talks
In October, two airstrikes attributed to Pakistan were reported inside Afghanistan. The first, on 10 October, struck parts of Kabul, Khost, Jalalabad and Paktika. A second strike followed on 11 October, again targeting Kabul.
Those incidents prompted talks between the two sides in Doha, resulting in a temporary ceasefire. Monday night’s strike in Kunar is believed to be the first since that truce. Pakistan and the Taliban later held two additional negotiation rounds in Istanbul aimed at reaching a broader agreement, but both ended without progress.
The Taliban have previously urged Pakistan to respect Afghanistan’s airspace.
