Taliban says two Pakistani air strikes in Afghanistan kill eight

The Afghan Taliban said on Monday that Pakistan had launched two airstrikes on Afghan territory that killed five women and three children, with a spokesman denouncing the strikes as a violation of sovereignty.

The attack comes as neighboring countries blame each other for recent militant attacks in Pakistan, which Pakistan says were launched from Afghan soil, although Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban deny this.

“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will not allow anyone to use Afghan territory to compromise security,” Taliban government spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement.

He added that the attacks killed five women and three children in the eastern border provinces of Khost and Paktika.

Pakistan’s military and foreign ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the attack. Unidentified militants attacked a Pakistani military post on Saturday, killing seven security force personnel.

Although it is unclear what prompted the attack, Pakistani government and security officials said there had been an increase in such attacks in recent months, many of which were claimed by the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) and launched from inside Afghanistan.

The Afghan Taliban denies allowing militants to use Afghan territory.

“Pakistan should not blame Afghanistan for the lack of control, incompetence and problems on its soil,” spokesman Mujahid said in a statement.

“Such incidents can have very serious consequences that are beyond Pakistan’s control.”