Pakistan airstrikes kill 13 in Afghanistan

Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of launching new airstrikes on its territory, specifically targeting the provinces of Kunar, Afghanistan — Khost Province, and Afghanistan — Paktika Province. These attacks, which occurred late on Tuesday, reportedly killed at least 13 people, including 11 children, one woman, and an elderly man, and wounded 14 others. Zabihullah Mujahid, chief spokesperson for the Taliban government in Afghanistan, strongly condemned the strikes as a 'humanitarian crime and act of aggression.' Pakistan has not immediately acknowledged the latest strikes but has previously stated it targets Pakistani Taliban militants within Afghanistan, whom it blames for attacks inside Pakistan. This escalation follows a recent attack by suspected Pakistani Taliban militants on a security post in Pakistan's Pakistan — Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which killed six members of the Federal Constabulary. Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have been tense since the Taliban took power in 2021, with previous cross-border fighting and a collapsed ceasefire despite mediation efforts by China. The United Nations reported hundreds of civilian casualties from cross-border fighting earlier in 2026.