Afghanistan Reports 13 Killed in Pakistani Airstrikes, 11 Children Among Dead

Pakistan and Afghanistan were plunged into fresh confrontation on Wednesday after Pakistani forces carried out overnight airstrikes across three eastern Afghan provinces, with Kabul reporting civilian deaths and Islamabad insisting it had struck militant hideouts. The strikes, marking the third major exchange of fire between the two neighbours since October last year, have once again shattered fragile diplomatic efforts to contain the conflict.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the Pakistani military targeted the provinces of Khost, Kunar and Paktika , killing 11 children, one woman and one elderly man . An official in Khost said a house in Spera district was struck, killing nine people and wounding ten others, while residents in Paktika’s Barmal district said a separate attack killed three civilians, with those killed described as children. Kabul condemned the strikes as a violation of Afghan sovereignty and airspace.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed the operation, describing it as “precise and calibrated” strikes on hideouts and safe havens of militants belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij , Islamabad’s term for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claiming 26 militants killed . Four militant facilities were said to have been destroyed, including a training centre, ammunition cache and command hubs linked to TTP commanders Aleem Khan Khushali and Akhtar Muhammad Jani Khel . Pakistani sources described the operation as part of ongoing counterterror efforts aimed at dismantling infrastructure allegedly used to plan cross border attacks against Pakistan.

Tarar cited a series of recent attacks to justify the strikes, including the assault on a Federal Constabulary post in Musa Dara on June 9 in which six paramilitary personnel were killed, a vehicle borne suicide attack at a military post in North Waziristan on June 2, and a police station attack in Bannu on May 9.

The latest escalation comes amid heightened regional concern. India recently raised the issue at the United Nations Security Council , accusing Pakistan of carrying out strikes inside Afghanistan that caused civilian suffering and warning that such actions undermine regional stability.

The conflict traces back to February 2026, when Pakistan launched a major military operation following accusations of cross border attacks by Afghan Taliban forces. While brief pauses in fighting were later brokered through regional mediation involving Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey and China , none have resulted in a lasting ceasefire.

Pakistan continues to accuse Afghanistan of sheltering TTP militants , while Kabul denies the allegation. With tensions repeatedly flaring, the 2,611 kilometre Durand Line remains one of the region’s most unstable and sensitive frontiers.