Afghanistan has accused Pakistani forces of bombing a house in the southeastern Khost province, resulting in the deaths of nine children and a woman, a claim strongly denied by Pakistan’s military. The incident raises tensions along the already volatile Afghanistan-Pakistan border and threatens the fragile ceasefire between the two countries.

Details of the Alleged Attack

Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Taliban-led Afghan government, said the attack occurred at midnight (19:30 GMT) in the Gurbuz district. According to Mujahid, the victims were members of the family of Waliat Khan, whose house was reportedly destroyed in the airstrike.

“The Pakistani invading forces bombed the house of a local civilian resident… As a result, nine children [five boys and four girls] and one woman were martyred,” Mujahid wrote on X.

Additional airstrikes were reported in Kunar and Paktika provinces, wounding at least four civilians, according to the Taliban administration.

Pakistan Denies Responsibility

Pakistan’s military, through spokesperson Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry, denied the claims, asserting that its forces do not target civilians. The denial comes amid rising tensions between the two countries and following warnings from Afghanistan that it would “respond appropriately at the right time.”

“The Islamic Emirate strongly condemns this violation and crime and reiterates that defending its airspace, territory, and people is its legitimate right,” Mujahid said in a statement.

Context: Border Tensions and Attacks

The alleged bombing in Khost comes one day after a suicide attack targeted the headquarters of Pakistan’s Federal Constabulary Force in Peshawar. The Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a splinter faction of the Pakistan Taliban (TTP), claimed responsibility. State broadcaster PTV reported that the attackers were Afghan nationals, and President Asif Zardari blamed the assault on “foreign-backed TTP fighters operating from Afghan soil.”

Earlier in November, another suicide attack in Islamabad killed at least 12 people. Pakistan attributed that attack to TTP factions allegedly guided by Afghan-based commanders.

Historical Context of Pakistan-Afghanistan Tensions

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been tense since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. The situation escalated after border clashes in October 2025 killed about 70 people on both sides. Qatar and Turkey brokered a ceasefire, but follow-up talks in Istanbul failed to produce a lasting agreement.

A key sticking point in negotiations is Pakistan’s demand that the Taliban curb TTP activity, while Afghanistan denies harboring militants and counters that Pakistan supports groups hostile to Afghanistan’s sovereignty.

The recent bombardment in Khost adds a dangerous new layer to ongoing disputes and threatens the stability of already fragile peace efforts along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region.