Shafaq News/ Pakistani airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan killed 46 people, the spokesman for Afghanistan's Taliban government announced on Wednesday.

The spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid said, "Last night, Pakistan bombed four locations in the Barmal district of Paktika province," adding that the casualties were mostly women and children.

For its part, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense condemned the airstrikes in a statement, describing them as “clear aggression and contrary to all international principles,” adding that “the Islamic Emirate [of Afghanistan] will not leave this cowardly act unanswered and considers defending its territory and sovereignty an inalienable right.”

In March, a deadly Pakistani military airstrikes reportedly targeted border areas and killed eight civilians, according to Taliban authorities.

Violence in Pakistan has surged since the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) ended an indefinite ceasefire with the Pakistani government in November 2022. This truce, agreed upon in June 2022 and facilitated by the Afghan Taliban, was intended to reduce violence and pave the way for peace talks.

The breakdown of the truce led to a significant escalation in violence, with over 700 attacks recorded in the following year, resulting in nearly 1,000 deaths. Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban of providing a safe haven to the TTP, a claim that has further strained relations between the two neighboring countries.