NEW DELHI: At least 13 civilians, including 11 children, were killed and 14 others injured after Pakistani air strikes targeted eastern Afghanistan on Wednesday, according to Taliban authorities. The strikes reportedly hit the provinces of Khost, Kunar, and Paktika, marking a fresh escalation in tensions between the neighboring countries.

The Taliban administration condemned the attacks, alleging that civilian areas were hit and describing the strikes as a violation of Afghanistan's sovereignty. Pakistan, however, said its military targeted militant hideouts and infrastructure linked to recent cross-border attacks inside Pakistan, claiming that 26 militants were killed in the operation.

The air strikes come days after suspected militants attacked a Pakistani border security post, killing six personnel. Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have remained strained for months, with both sides accusing each other of sheltering armed groups responsible for attacks across the border.

The latest violence threatens to further destabilize the region and raises concerns about a renewed cycle of retaliation between the two countrie