Taliban say Pakistani airstrikes killed 46 people in eastern Afghanistan, mostly women and children

In contrast, Mohammad Khurasani, spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP), claimed the airstrikes caused 50 deaths, including 27 women and children. Local residents reported at least 13 fatalities, though they cautioned the toll could rise, the AP reported. The injured were transported to nearby hospitals.

Pakistan has not issued a formal comment on the airstrikes. However, on Wednesday, the Pakistani military reported that 13 insurgents were killed in an intelligence-led operation in South Waziristan, a district bordering Afghanistan’s Paktika province.

Growing Tensions Between Neighbours 

The strikes are expected to exacerbate tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Taliban-led Afghan government condemned the attack, asserting that many of the victims were refugees from Waziristan and vowing retaliation.

The TTP, a separate militant organization closely allied with the Afghan Taliban, has ramped up its activities in recent months. In the latest attack, at least 16 Pakistani soldiers were killed over the weekend when TTP fighters targeted a checkpoint in Pakistan’s northwest.

Pakistan has accused the Afghan Taliban of failing to prevent militant activity across their shared border. The Afghan Taliban denies these allegations, insisting it does not allow its territory to be used for attacks on other countries.