Kabul, June 10: Pakistani military airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Kunar, Khost, and Paktika provinces resulted in the deaths of 13 individuals, predominantly children. This was confirmed by Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid on Wednesday.
Mujahid condemned the Pakistani military’s actions, stating that the airstrikes on Tuesday night targeted civilian homes, leading to the deaths of 11 children, one woman, and an elderly man. Additionally, 14 other women and children sustained injuries.
On the social media platform X, the Taliban spokesperson wrote, “Last night, the Pakistani army once again violated Afghanistan’s airspace and bombed homes in Kunar, Khost, and Paktika provinces. These attacks resulted in the deaths of 11 children, one woman, and one elderly person, while 14 other women and children were injured. We strongly condemn this humanitarian crime and aggression.”
This incident comes amid escalating tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan over the past few months. Concerns are growing over repeated gunfire and civilian casualties, with both sides accusing each other of inciting instability. Diplomatic and local mediation efforts have so far failed to calm the situation.
According to the Taliban regime, last month, three people were killed and 14 injured in Pakistani attacks in the Dangam district of Kunar province.
A Taliban district official in Dangam reported that two schools, a clinic, and two mosques were destroyed in the Pakistani strikes.
Mohammad Omar Sadiq, the Taliban district governor of Dangam, stated that the Pakistani army has lost its capability for direct attacks and is now targeting civilian areas. He also mentioned that 80 livestock were killed in the assaults. Since the onset of attacks in Kunar province, 12 schools have been destroyed.
Previously, on May 12, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported that between January 1 and March 31, at least 372 Afghan civilians were killed and 397 injured due to cross-border violence between Pakistani and Afghan forces.
UNAMA indicated that over 750 civilian casualties resulted from this cross-border violence, a consequence of the conflict between the Pakistani army and Afghanistan’s de facto security forces. The report noted that most civilian casualties occurred due to airstrikes in February and March.
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