Pakistan launched airstrikes targeting the Afghan provinces of Khost, Kunar, and Paktika on Wednesday. These strikes, which hit border areas, follow a period of relative calm after months of fighting at the beginning of the year.
The Taliban government in Kabul reports that at least 13 people were killed and 14 others wounded, stating that the dead include 11 children, one woman, and one elderly man. In contrast, Pakistan's Information Minister Ataullah Tarar stated that the military conducted precise and calibrated strikes on militant hideouts, killing at least 26 militants.
These attacks are the deadliest in weeks and follow a cycle of violence since late February, when Afghanistan launched a cross-border attack in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harboring militants that carry out attacks inside Pakistan, specifically the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, a group allied with the Afghan Taliban. Kabul denies these charges.