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Taliban: Pakistani air strikes in Afghanistan kill at least 13, Taliban claims

The Afghan Taliban government reported that Pakistani air strikes in three provinces of Afghanistan killed at least 13 people, including 11 children. This is a resurgence of a conflict which has claimed hundreds lives this year.

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mojahid stated that at least?14 other people - including children and women – were injured by strikes that violated Afghanistan’s airspace, and bombed homes of civilians in the provinces Kunar, Khost, and Paktika.

The Pakistani government said that the "calibrated attacks" along the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier killed 26 militants. They were in response to recent attacks on the country's northwestern region.

Attaullah tarar, Pakistan's Information Minister, said that based on reliable intelligence, the targeted camps and hideouts were carried out with "precision and accuracy". Four targets, including a training center, a hideout, and an ammunition stash, were destroyed.

Islamabad accuses Kabul of harbouring militants who, it claims, plot attacks against Pakistan. According to Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, militant attacks in 'Pakistan' have increased four-fold since 2022. This was the year after the Taliban regained power in Afghanistan.

The Taliban denied these allegations, and claimed that militancy is a problem within Pakistan.

"WE WILL TAKE REVENGE"

The renewed violence between former allies could disrupt a long-lasting truce in the fighting between Islamabad, and Kabul. They fought their most intense battle in many years in February.

In March, the two countries started a dialogue to reduce tensions. China was tasked with mediating a resolution to the conflict. Fighting has ceased since then but there have been sporadic clashes along the 2,600 km (1,600 mile) border.

Haji Ali 'Khan, tribal elder from Khost said that one of the airstrikes killed 10 people in a village, including women and kids, after midnight.

The family whose home was bombed is a local villager. "They have no connection to the TTP nor do they know them," said he, referring the Pakistani Taliban.

"Either the authorities provide security in this area, or they allow the people to protect themselves.... We will either sacrifice ourselves or take revenge on our own." Reporting by Mohammad Yunus Yawar, Mushtaq Ali in Peshawar and Hritam Mukherjee, Saad Sayeed, and Himani Sarkar; editing by Himani Sarkar and Lincoln Feast.

(source: Reuters)