The Taliban government has issued a strong warning to Pakistan after overnight airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan killed at least ten civilians, most of them children. The Taliban said the attacks were a clear violation of Afghan sovereignty and promised a response “at the right time."
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid condemned the strikes and accused Pakistan of committing a serious crime against innocent people.
“The Islamic Emirate strongly condemns this violation and crime and reiterates that defending its airspace, territory, and people is its legitimate right, and it will respond appropriately at the right time," he said.
According to the Taliban, the airstrikes hit a civilian home in Khost province. Mujahid said nine of those killed were children, including five boys and four girls, along with one woman. He added that further strikes were also carried out in the border regions of Kunar and Paktika, where four more people were injured, as reported by AFP citing Mujahid.
Pakistan has so far failed to issue any official response or clarification about the incident, drawing criticism for remaining silent over the deaths of Afghan civilians.
Escalation linked to violence inside Pakistan
The deadly air raids came just a day after a violent attack in Peshawar, where two suicide bombers and a gunman stormed the Federal Constabulary headquarters in the Saddar district. The assault killed three officers and injured eleven others. Security forces later shot dead the attackers.
Although no group claimed responsibility, suspicion has once again fallen on Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. This has fuelled concerns that Pakistan is using cross-border military action as a retaliatory measure instead of addressing its internal security failures.
Following the Peshawar attack, a Pakistani diplomat held talks with a senior Afghan provincial official to discuss security cooperation. However, the subsequent airstrikes have only deepened mistrust and weakened any chance of constructive dialogue.
Pattern of aggression against Afghanistan
This is not the first time Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of violating its airspace. Just over a month ago, Afghan officials alleged that Pakistan carried out drone strikes in Kabul. These repeated incidents are reinforcing the perception that Islamabad continues to adopt a heavy-handed and aggressive approach towards its neighbour.
Despite a ceasefire brokered in October by Qatar and Turkey, Pakistan’s latest actions have undermined the agreement and placed regional stability at risk. Neither Qatar nor Turkey has yet commented on the fresh violation.
Iran has, however, stepped forward and expressed its willingness to help ease tensions and prevent further escalation between the two countries.
Taliban vows to protect its people
The Taliban made it clear that defending Afghan territory and civilians is not negotiable. Mujahid stressed that Afghanistan has every right to protect its sovereignty against unlawful military actions.
“The Islamic Emirate strongly condemns this violation and crime and reiterates that defending its airspace, territory, and people is its legitimate right, and it will respond appropriately at the right time," he repeated.
For Afghanistan, the deaths of children and women have turned this incident into more than a border dispute. It has become a symbol of Pakistan’s disregard for Afghan civilian lives and established norms of international conduct.
As Pakistan continues to avoid accountability and provide no explanation for the strikes, tensions along the border are likely to rise further, pushing the two neighbours closer to a serious diplomatic and security confrontation.
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