Pakistan carried out airstrikes on Monday night targeting areas in the provinces of Khost, Kunar, and Paktika in eastern Afghanistan-regions that have repeatedly been struck by Pakistani aircraft in the past.

According to Ansar News Agency, the Taliban have stated that Pakistan bombed the home of a civilian named Walayat Khan in the Gurbuz district of Khost.

Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban`s spokesperson, said that five boys, four girls, and one woman were killed in the attack on this home.

He added that four other civilians were wounded in the strikes on Kunar and Paktika.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has also confirmed-without naming Pakistan-that ten people were killed and six others injured in the airstrikes in Khost and Kunar.

Pakistan has not yet officially claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Major General Muhammad Sharif Chaudhry, spokesperson for Pakistan`s army, said that the country had not attacked Afghanistan and that the Taliban`s claims were baseless.

"We Will Respond at the Appropriate Time"

The Taliban condemned Pakistan`s airstrikes on the three eastern provinces, calling them a violation of Afghanistan`s airspace, a breach of international norms, and a "crime committed by Pakistani military forces."

Zabihullah Mujahid stated:

"Such crimes by Pakistani soldiers achieve nothing. Once again it has become clear that these actions are based on false information and yield nothing but heightened tensions, disgrace, and failure for Pakistan`s military regime."

He added:

"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan strongly condemns this violation and crime, and reiterates that defending its territory and people-whether by air or by land-is its legitimate right, and that it will respond appropriately at the right time."

In an interview with Tolo News, the Taliban spokesperson further stated that "this crime was a repeated crime and must be responded to."

He added that the Taliban would, without doubt, respond militarily to Pakistan, and that this response should be similar in scale to Pakistan`s attack.

About a month and a half ago, the Taliban swiftly retaliated against Pakistan`s airstrikes on Kabul and Paktika.

Their response included a series of simultaneous attacks across all border regions with Pakistan and assaults on Pakistani border posts.

These retaliatory actions triggered clashes between the two sides that lasted nearly a week.

During these clashes as well, Pakistan carried out airstrikes in parts of Kabul and Kandahar.

"What Does the Reality on the Ground Suggest?"

Pakistan`s attacks on eastern Afghanistan effectively ended the ceasefire that had been established-through Turkish and Qatari mediation-between the country and the Taliban.

However, any direct retaliation by the Taliban is likely to escalate tensions and prolong or widen the conflict between the two sides.

Therefore, it appears that this time the Taliban may act more cautiously, limiting their actions while taking into account both political and military consequences.

The Taliban are aware that they lack the capacity to withstand a direct military confrontation with Pakistan, and that Pakistani airstrikes could quickly cripple their government.

Thus, the Taliban`s initial response is likely to be limited to a small-scale skirmish in one of the border areas-an action that would not provoke Pakistan into launching a massive military or aerial campaign against them.

In the long term, however, the Taliban are expected to attempt to destabilize Pakistan by supporting Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups, creating pressure on Islamabad.

The ongoing disagreement between the Taliban and Pakistan regarding the control or surrender of TTP leaders and fighters has made it clear that the Taliban view these militants as strategic allies and essential tools in their shadow war against Pakistan-and that they will never fully eliminate this threat from Pakistan`s doorstep.