Story perspectives

Pakistani Airstrikes Kill 13 Civilians in Afghan Provinces

6/10/2026

Summary

Pakistani Military Airstrikes

Pakistani military conducted overnight airstrikes in Kunar, Khost and Paktika provinces, killing at least 13 civilians.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the dead were 11 children, one woman and one elderly man, and that 14 were injured.
Local officials reported residential houses were struck in Spera district of Khost and Barmal district of Paktika.
Pakistan's security officials told Reuters the raids targeted militant hideouts and facilities operating from Afghan soil.

Summary

Akhundzada Calls Ceasefire

Taliban leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada decreed the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) stop attacks on Pakistan.
China hosted peace talks in Urumqi after which Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed not to escalate the conflict.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi attended funeral prayers for six constabulary members killed at Hasan Khel and vowed tougher anti-militancy actions.
The border has stayed closed to trade since October, stranding thousands of traders and commuters.

Summary

Pakistan Breaches Airspace

Pakistani airstrikes breached Afghanistan’s sovereign airspace, leading to accusations that Pakistan violated international norms for cross-border military operations.
AFP photographs show Afghan residents standing among damaged houses in Pol-e-Charkhi on the outskirts of Kabul after the overnight strike on 13 March 2026.
Security analysts say the attacks follow the two countries’ worst February battle, ending a rare lull that had persisted since the fragile ceasefire agreed in March.

History

Historical Context

The 2026 Pakistani airstrikes across the Afghan border revive a pattern of external incursions that began with the Soviet Union’s December 1979 invasion, which deployed about 115,000 troops and sparked a decade-long war. Pakistan’s earlier support for the mujahideen against those Soviet forces created deep mistrust, a legacy that fuels today’s Afghan condemnation of the strikes.

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Pakistani Military Airstrikes

Pakistani military conducted overnight airstrikes in Kunar, Khost and Paktika provinces, killing at least 13 civilians.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the dead were 11 children, one woman and one elderly man, and that 14 were injured.
Local officials reported residential houses were struck in Spera district of Khost and Barmal district of Paktika.
Pakistan's security officials told Reuters the raids targeted militant hideouts and facilities operating from Afghan soil.

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