Pakistani Forces Accused of Killing 10 Innocents, Including Nine Children in Air Strikes on Afghan Border
A day after a deadly suicide attack on a security compound in Pakistan's Peshawar city, Taliban officials have accused the Pakistani military of carrying out a barrage of air strikes that killed at least 10 people, including nine children. The victims were reportedly targeted in an airstrike in Khost province, with reports suggesting the attacks may have been aimed at a local resident's home.
According to Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesperson on X, the raids resulted in the deaths of nine children, five boys and four girls, as well as one woman. Four civilians were also wounded in additional air strikes targeting the Kunar and Paktika border regions.
The Pakistani government has thus far refused to comment on the allegations, despite the increasing tensions between the two countries. The strikes come after a suicide attack at the headquarters of Pakistan's Federal Constabulary force in Peshawar, which killed three officers and wounded 11 others. However, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Pakistan President Asif Zardari linked the bombing to "foreign-backed" militants operating from Afghan soil, referring to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The TTP is a militant group that Islamabad accuses of receiving support from Kabul.
In recent months, relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have continued to deteriorate. Deadly border clashes in October killed around 70 people on both sides, prompting talks in Istanbul but ultimately failing to yield a lasting peace agreement. Islamabad blames the Taliban for sheltering the TTP fighters, who Islamabad claims are behind a surge in attacks against its territory.
The Afghan government denies these allegations and accuses Pakistan of harbouring groups hostile to Afghanistan and disregarding its sovereignty. The situation remains volatile, with multiple sides blaming each other for the escalating tensions and deadly violence.
A day after a deadly suicide attack on a security compound in Pakistan's Peshawar city, Taliban officials have accused the Pakistani military of carrying out a barrage of air strikes that killed at least 10 people, including nine children. The victims were reportedly targeted in an airstrike in Khost province, with reports suggesting the attacks may have been aimed at a local resident's home.
According to Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesperson on X, the raids resulted in the deaths of nine children, five boys and four girls, as well as one woman. Four civilians were also wounded in additional air strikes targeting the Kunar and Paktika border regions.
The Pakistani government has thus far refused to comment on the allegations, despite the increasing tensions between the two countries. The strikes come after a suicide attack at the headquarters of Pakistan's Federal Constabulary force in Peshawar, which killed three officers and wounded 11 others. However, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Pakistan President Asif Zardari linked the bombing to "foreign-backed" militants operating from Afghan soil, referring to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The TTP is a militant group that Islamabad accuses of receiving support from Kabul.
In recent months, relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have continued to deteriorate. Deadly border clashes in October killed around 70 people on both sides, prompting talks in Istanbul but ultimately failing to yield a lasting peace agreement. Islamabad blames the Taliban for sheltering the TTP fighters, who Islamabad claims are behind a surge in attacks against its territory.
The Afghan government denies these allegations and accuses Pakistan of harbouring groups hostile to Afghanistan and disregarding its sovereignty. The situation remains volatile, with multiple sides blaming each other for the escalating tensions and deadly violence.
. It seems like both countries are pointing fingers at each other and it's hard to see a way out of this mess. The fact that innocent civilians, especially kids, got caught in the crossfire is just heartbreaking 
. I wish they could put aside their differences and have a serious talk about how to resolve their issues. But with all the blame-shifting and accusations flying around, it's hard to see any progress 
. And what really gets me is that the international community is not doing enough to help mediate this situation. I mean, can't we all just try to be more understanding and peaceful for once? 
This whole thing is just another example of how our borders are a mess 
. I mean, both Pakistan and Afghanistan can't seem to agree on anything, it's like they're speaking different languages 
. And the civilians in between get caught in the crossfire 
. It makes me wonder if we'll ever see a lasting peace agreement in this region 
. I think the Pakistani government is being played by Islamabad 
, and it's the same with Kabul 
. We need to focus on supporting these countries' sovereignty and security rather than just blaming each other for everything 
. And what about the real culprits – the militants operating from Afghan soil? Shouldn't we be targeting them instead of getting caught up in this back-and-forth between Pakistan and Afghanistan? 
!
How could this happen? I mean, we know there's been a lot of tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan lately, but it seems like things are just getting out of control. I'm really worried about the civilians caught in the middle 
. It's like no one is listening to each other or trying to find a peaceful solution. Can't they see that violence only leads to more suffering? 
The Pakistani government needs to respond to these allegations and provide some answers, but at the same time, the Afghan government should also be willing to listen and work together to find a way forward 
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. It's just devastating to think about families torn apart like this. I've seen some crazy stuff over the years, but this one takes the cake. It's hard to fathom how many times we have to go through this - Pakistan and Afghanistan at each other's throats, with civilians caught in the middle 
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. We should be focusing on finding ways to bring our neighbors together, not pitting them against each other 
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. The Pakistani government is all quiet on this, but that just makes it worse. They're not even denying it or taking responsibility. It's like they're saying "it wasn't us" 
it's like they're stuck in a loop of hate & violence 
the children who died were probably just kids playing outside when the airstrike happened 
it's heartbreaking how many civilians are getting caught in the crossfire 
nine boys & four girls?! it's just not right this airstrike was supposed to be a suicide attack revenge or somethin but noooo they gotta go & kill civilians on purpose 
i wish pakistan would just talk to afghanistan & figure out why all this violence is happenin we need peace not more death 
... and what's with the lack of comment from Pakistan? 
. We need to get some real evidence before we start believing one side over the other 
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. Let's try to have a real conversation about how we're going to work together to keep our people safe 
.