KHOST, Afghanistan — Pakistani military fired mortars into three border villages in Afghanistan’s southeastern Khost Province, Taliban officials said on Friday.
Mustaghfir Gurbaz, a spokesperson for the Taliban governor in Khost, said Pakistani forces targeted the villages of Airukam, Kaga, and Garab in the Alisher District late Thursday night.
According to Gurbaz, the Taliban responded “intensely” to the attacks. However, he did not provide details on casualties or damage.
Pakistani authorities have not yet commented on the matter.
Tensions along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border have risen sharply in recent weeks. Last week, skirmishes broke out in the border regions of Khost and Paktia Provinces, reportedly in retaliation for a Pakistani airstrike in Barmal District, Paktika Province. Taliban said that the strike, which targeted Waziristani refugees, killed at least 46 people.
