Pakistan’s Midnight Airstrike in Khost Leaves 10 Dead, Sparks Fresh Border Tensions
A deadly airstrike carried out by Pakistani forces early Tuesday has killed at least ten civilians in Afghanistan’s Khost province, reigniting fears of renewed conflict along the already tense Afghanistan–Pakistan border.
According to Afghan officials, the strike hit shortly after midnight in the Mughalgai area of Gurbuz district, targeting the home of local resident Waliat Khan. The attack flattened the house and killed nine children five boys and four girls along with one woman.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for Afghanistan’s caretaker government, confirmed the details in a statement on X, saying the strike had caused severe civilian casualties. He also revealed that “separate airstrikes were also conducted in Kunar and Paktika provinces the same night, injuring four civilians.”
The overnight assault has brought back memories of the intense border clashes seen this October. On October 9, Pakistan launched airstrikes in Kabul, Khost, Jalalabad, and Paktika. Taliban forces responded between October 11 and 12 with attacks on Pakistani military posts, with both sides claiming to have inflicted “significant losses.”
Though a ceasefire was brokered by Qatar on October 19, peace has remained fragile. The truce survived only briefly before talks in Istanbul collapsed. Afghan representatives refused to provide written guarantees that Pakistani Taliban (TTP) fighters would not operate from Afghan soil an issue at the heart of Pakistan’s accusations.
Pakistan insists that since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, Afghanistan has allowed TTP militants to use its territory freely. Kabul strongly denies the charge and has instead blamed Pakistan for a series of drone strikes in Kabul in early October, warning that such actions would be met with retaliation.
Now, the deadly strike in Khost threatens to unravel what remained of the fragile ceasefire. With both sides trading blame and refusing to concede ground, fears are rising that the border region could once again slip into a cycle of violence.
According to Afghan officials, the strike hit shortly after midnight in the Mughalgai area of Gurbuz district, targeting the home of local resident Waliat Khan. The attack flattened the house and killed nine children five boys and four girls along with one woman.
Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for Afghanistan’s caretaker government, confirmed the details in a statement on X, saying the strike had caused severe civilian casualties. He also revealed that “separate airstrikes were also conducted in Kunar and Paktika provinces the same night, injuring four civilians.”
The overnight assault has brought back memories of the intense border clashes seen this October. On October 9, Pakistan launched airstrikes in Kabul, Khost, Jalalabad, and Paktika. Taliban forces responded between October 11 and 12 with attacks on Pakistani military posts, with both sides claiming to have inflicted “significant losses.”
Though a ceasefire was brokered by Qatar on October 19, peace has remained fragile. The truce survived only briefly before talks in Istanbul collapsed. Afghan representatives refused to provide written guarantees that Pakistani Taliban (TTP) fighters would not operate from Afghan soil an issue at the heart of Pakistan’s accusations.
Pakistan insists that since the Taliban’s takeover in 2021, Afghanistan has allowed TTP militants to use its territory freely. Kabul strongly denies the charge and has instead blamed Pakistan for a series of drone strikes in Kabul in early October, warning that such actions would be met with retaliation.
Now, the deadly strike in Khost threatens to unravel what remained of the fragile ceasefire. With both sides trading blame and refusing to concede ground, fears are rising that the border region could once again slip into a cycle of violence.
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