Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said Pakistani aircraft targeted a house in the Mughalgai area of Khost at approximately 12 a.m. “Five boys, four girls, and a woman were killed in the bombing,” he said, adding that four civilians were injured in additional strikes in Kunar and Paktika. Kabul accused Islamabad of violating the temporary ceasefire agreement reached earlier in Istanbul.
Pakistan’s military and Foreign Ministry have not issued any comment on the incident.
The strike comes as Pakistan faces its own security challenges. Hours before the cross-border attack, a suicide bomber targeted the Frontier Constabulary headquarters in Peshawar, located near the cantonment area. The blast killed three commandos and three attackers, with several others injured. According to police, the bomber approached the checkpoint concealed under a sheet before detonating the explosives.
Monday’s escalation follows months of strained relations between Islamabad and Kabul. In October, clashes along the border left dozens dead, marking the worst violence since the Taliban seized power in 2021. Despite a ceasefire signed in Doha, talks in Turkiye failed to produce a lasting agreement.
Pakistan has long accused the Taliban administration of providing safe haven to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a charge Kabul denies. Analysts say the Taliban leadership views the TTP as an ideological ally and fears that acting against it could trigger internal dissent.
The dispute is compounded by long-standing friction over the Durand Line, the colonial-era border dividing Pashtun communities. Both governments routinely accuse each other of cross-border militancy, with tensions deepening as regional security deteriorates.
