Pakistan airstrikes kill 13 civilians in Afghanistan, 11 children among the dead

Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Afghanistan’s eastern provinces of Khost, Kunar and Paktika, killing at least 13 civilians – 11 children, one woman and an elderly man – and wounding 14 others. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the attacks on X, saying “We strongly condemn this humanitarian crime and act of aggression” and accusing Pakistan of violating Afghan airspace. Pakistan has not immediately responded, stating its operations target militant hideouts. The strikes came a day after suspected Pakistani‑Taliban (TTP) militants attacked a security post in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killing six Federal Constabulary members. The incident marks a sharp escalation in the border conflict that reignited in late February, with both sides accusing the other of harboring militants. United Nations figures indicate that over 370 Afghan civilians have been killed and nearly 400 injured in cross‑border violence during the first quarter of 2026. China‑mediated peace talks have so far failed to produce a durable cease‑fire, and the Pakistan‑Afghanistan border remains closed to trade.