Pakistani Airstrike on Khost Kills 9 Children Amid Rising Border Tensions

Did Press: A midnight airstrike by Pakistani forces on a residential home in Gurbuz district of Khost has killed nine children and one woman, while several civilians were wounded in Kunar and Paktika. The attack comes amid escalating border tensions and mutual security accusations between Islamabad and the Taliban.

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Taliban government, stated that around 12:00 AM last night, Pakistani air forces bombed a civilian house in the “Moghalgai” area of Gurbuz district, Khost province. According to Mujahid, the strike killed nine children—five boys and four girls—along with a woman. The family’s home was completely destroyed.

Mujahid added that similar attacks were carried out in Kunar and Paktika provinces, injuring four civilians. Two residential homes were damaged, though no further casualties have been reported.

This incident occurs as Taliban–Pakistan relations have severely deteriorated in recent months, with border tensions steadily rising. Islamabad claims the Taliban has failed—or refused—to prevent militant groups from using Afghan territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan. The Taliban rejects these allegations, calling them “baseless.”

The latest attacks have heightened concerns of a renewed cycle of border clashes and have once again drawn attention to the fragile security situation in Afghanistan’s eastern provinces.