Afghanistan’s Taliban reported that Pakistani jets conducted two air strikes within Afghan borders on Monday, resulting in the deaths of at least eight individuals, including five women and three children. The fatalities occurred in the eastern provinces of Khost and Paktika. The Taliban retaliated by launching heavy weapons at the Pakistani military in response to the incident.
The Taliban’s defense ministry stated that they targeted Pakistani troops at the border following the air strikes. Witnesses cited by Al Jazeera mentioned that three mortar shells were fired from Afghanistan’s Paktia province towards the Borki border area of Pakistan, with one shell landing near a government school.
In a previous statement, Zabiullah Mujahid, the Taliban administration’s spokesperson, emphasized that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan does not tolerate any actions that compromise security through the use of Afghan territory.
These air strikes occurred shortly after seven Pakistani soldiers were killed. Both countries have been accusing each other of being responsible for a recent surge in militant attacks in Pakistan.
The Pakistani government and security officials have noted an increase in such attacks in recent months, many of which have been attributed to the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) and launched from Afghan soil. Pakistan has also claimed that armed fighters are crossing over from Afghanistan to carry out attacks within its borders.
However, the Taliban has refuted Pakistan’s allegations, with Mujahid stating that Pakistan should not blame Afghanistan for the issues within its own territory. He warned that such incidents could lead to severe consequences beyond Pakistan’s control.
According to Al Jazeera, the Taliban spokesperson strongly condemned the attack, labeling it a “reckless action” and a violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty.
