On 25 November 2025, the Taliban government in Afghanistan accused Pakistan of carrying out deadly overnight airstrikes in the eastern provinces of Khost, Kunar, and Paktika. According to Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, the attacks struck civilian areas, resulting in the deaths of at least ten people, including nine children and a woman.
Mujahid claimed that the most devastating strike hit a home belonging to Waliat Khan, son of Qazi Mir, in the Gurbuz (sometimes spelled “Gorbuz”) district of Khost Province, reducing the house to rubble. “As a result, nine children (five boys and four girls) and one woman were martyred, and his house was destroyed,” he said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
In addition to the Khost strike, the Taliban say there were follow-up air raids in Kunar and Paktika provinces that wounded four additional civilians. The Taliban characterize these as “bombing” missions by Pakistani forces, not limited to border skirmishes.
The accusations come amid rising tensions between the two neighboring countries, which have a fragile ceasefire in place. The ceasefire, brokered by Qatar and Turkey in October 2025, has been strained by mutual distrust. Analysts say the bombing could severely undermine any remaining goodwill.
Several media outlets note that Pakistan’s military and government have not issued an official response to these serious allegations. Without an independent confirmation, the claims rest primarily on Taliban statements.
This is not the first time Kabul has accused Islamabad of violence. In October 2025, Taliban officials warned that a major truce had been violated after what they described as Pakistani strikes on residential areas in Paktika Province. Historically, similar accusations go back further: in March 2024, the Taliban claimed Pakistan bombed homes in Khost and Paktika, killing women and children.
The latest incident has prompted alarm in Kabul, with the Taliban government condemning the strikes as “a violation of Afghan sovereignty.” If confirmed, these attacks could fuel a dangerous spiral of retaliation — and further destabilize an already fragile border peace.
