‘Truce broken’: Taliban accuses Pak of striking civilian areas; warns of retaliation

Pakistani airstrikes hit Afghanistan’s Paktika province, with attacks reportedly targeting residential homes in Argun and Barmal districts, according to Tolo News. A Taliban official speaking to news agency AFP confirmed the strikes saying that the “truce has been broken” by Islamabad.“Pakistan has broken the ceasefire and bombed three locations in Paktika” the official told AFP adding that, “Afghanistan will retaliate.”This comes hours after reports that the temporary ceasefire between Afghanistan and Pakistan was extended.A senior diplomatic source quoted by Pakistan’s Dawn news had confirmed that the ceasefire, which was set to expire Friday evening, had been extended until the conclusion of the Doha negotiations. A 48-hour ceasefire was agreed between Afghanistan and Pakistan following deadly violence between the neighbouring countries. The violence between the two neighbours increased dramatically after explosions rocked Kabul. Following this, the Taliban launched an offensive along its southern border with Pakistan, prompting Islamabad to promise a strong response.Before the ceasefire ended, Pakistani foreign ministry spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan stated that both sides needed to “wait for 48 hours” to “see if the ceasefire is held.” Tensions between the two nations are rooted in security concerns, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan of harbouring militants from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a claim Kabul denies. A suicide bombing by the TTP in Pakistan’s North Waziristan district killed seven paramilitary troops just before the truce expired.