According to Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, the strikes were carried out in the provinces of Khost, Kunar, and Paktika. In addition to the 11 children, a woman and an elderly man were among the dead. The Taliban representative called the incident a "crime," reports [NOS](https://nos.nl/artikel/2617897-pakistaanse-luchtaanvallen-op-afghanistan-taliban-melden-dood-11-kinderen). A spokesman for the Khost provincial administration told AFP that one of the Pakistani rockets hit a residential house in the Sperah area. As a result of this strike alone, nine people were killed, and another ten were injured. According to the Associated Press, the airstrikes may have been a response to an attack by the Pakistani wing of the Taliban (TTP) on a security post in the Hasan Khel area in northwestern Pakistan. ## Long-standing conflict at the border Pakistan regularly accuses Afghanistan of harboring and supporting militants from the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) on its territory. This group has repeatedly carried out attacks on civilians, markets, religious gatherings, police stations, military convoys, and infrastructure in Pakistan. The TTP is an independent armed organization but maintains close ties with the Afghan Taliban. The group advocates for the implementation of strict Islamic law in Pakistan. The Afghan authorities, where the Taliban regained power in 2021, reject accusations of providing refuge to TTP militants. ## Hundreds dead since the beginning of the year The latest strikes have been the deadliest in recent weeks and occurred after a period of relative calm. Since the end of February, armed clashes have continued along the Afghan-Pakistani border, claiming the lives of hundreds of people. According to the United Nations, at least 372 civilians were killed as a result of violence from January 1 to March 31. Tens of thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes in border areas. Earlier in March, it was reported that hundreds of people could have died as a result of a Pakistani airstrike on a drug rehabilitation clinic. The escalation of the situation along the Afghan-Pakistani border indicates ongoing tensions between the two countries. Despite mutual accusations, neither side has shown readiness for de-escalation, and the continuing violence increasingly affects the civilian population, forcing thousands of people to leave their homes.