The Afghan government has reported that four members of the same family, including two children, were killed by Pakistani artillery and mortar fire in eastern Afghanistan. The victims included one woman, one man, one girl, and one boy.

Deputy government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat stated that the incident occurred early Thursday in the village of Sadqo in Khost province, accusing Pakistan of deliberately targeting civilian homes and nomads' tents. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he also noted that three other children were wounded.

Pakistani authorities maintain that they conduct operations with due diligence, ensuring no harm to civilians. Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Tahir Hussain Andrabi told reporters that Pakistan had carried out "targeted operations with the principle of firm checking and ensuring that no civilian is hurt."

This incident is part of an escalation in cross-border clashes that began on February 26. According to Afghan authorities, the death toll on the Afghan side has now reached seven since Tuesday. The UN mission in Afghanistan reported that 56 civilians, including 24 children, were killed by Pakistani military operations from February 26 to March 5.

Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harboring fighters from the Pakistani Taliban and the ISIS (ISIL) affiliate in Khorasan Province, which Afghan authorities deny. The clashes have forced approximately 115,000 people to flee their homes, according to the UN.

Source: www.aljazeera.com