Pakistan renews air strikes on Afghanistan, killing several

Pakistan has renewed deadly air strikes on neighbouring Afghanistan, officials in both countries said Wednesday, in the worst violence in weeks following a period of relative calm.

An AFP journalist saw a house completely destroyed in the southeastern province of Khost, where residents were digging graves to bury those killed in the overnight attack.

Afghanistan's government spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said "11 children, one woman, and one elderly man were killed" in strikes on Khost, Kunar and Paktika provinces.

Islamabad said the strikes came in response to "recent terrorist incidents in Pakistan" and killed 26 militants linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group.

"Precise and calibrated Strikes were carried out along Pakistan Afghanistan border areas on hideouts and safe havens," information minister Attaullah Tarar wrote on X, without commenting on civilian casualties.

The attack in Khost's Spera district killed nine people and wounded 10 others, including children, a provincial official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

In neighbouring Paktika, two residents said a separate attack killed three civilians in Barmal district.

The strike hit a home, and those killed were children, one of the residents said.

The strikes are the deadliest in weeks and follow a period of relative calm at the border after conflict between the two countries erupted in late February.

Read more Residents pay the price as Afghanistan-Pakistan border remains closed

An escalation saw fierce fighting along the frontier and unprecedented Pakistani air strikes on Afghan cities – including the capital Kabul and southern Kandahar, where the supreme leader is based.

At least 372 Afghan civilians were killed and 397 others wounded in that conflict in the first three months of this year, a United Nations report published last month said.

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been fraught since the Taliban took power for a second time in 2021.

Security issues have proved a sticking point, especially Pakistan's demand that Afghanistan curb the TTP militant group.

Islamabad accuses the Taliban government of sheltering militants behind a surge in attacks, particularly the TTP, which has waged a violent campaign against Pakistan for years.

Afghan officials deny the charge and counter that Pakistan harbours hostile groups and does not respect its sovereignty.

The border between the neighbours has remained largely closed since a flare-up in violence in October, freezing bilateral trade.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)