Afghanistan says children among four killed in latest attacks by Pakistan

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Briefing Summary

AI-generated

NEWSAR · AI

Recent Pakistani shelling attacks in eastern Afghanistan have resulted in civilian casualties, including children. On March 16, 2026, officials reported that overnight shelling in Khost province killed three children and one woman. A separate incident in Nuristan province on Sunday resulted in another civilian death. Afghan authorities state that cross-border fighting over the past week has killed at least 18 civilians. The World Food Programme (WFP) has begun mobilizing to provide food assistance to over 20,000 displaced families. Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan escalated in late February, leading to increased cross-border attacks and fighting.

Confidence 0.90Sources 4Claims 5Entities 10

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Article analysis

Model · rule-based

Framing

Conflict

Human Interest

Tone

Measured

AI-assessed

CalmNeutralAlarmist

Factuality

0.80 / 1.00

Factual

LowHigh

Sources cited

4

Well sourced

FewMany

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Key claims

5 extracted

01

One person was killed in the eastern province of Nuristan on Sunday when shelling hit a civilian home.

factualHamdullah Fitrat, government spokesperson

Confidence

0.90

02

Mortar shelling killed two children in the Afghan Dubai area of Khost.

factualgovernor’s office

Confidence

0.90

03

Pakistani forces fired mortar shells on the Nari village of Gurbuz district, killing a woman and a child.

factualMustaghfir Gubuz, spokesperson for the governor in Khost province

Confidence

0.90

04

Four people have been killed, including three children, in an overnight Pakistani shelling attack in eastern Afghanistan.

factualAfghan officials

Confidence

0.90

05

In the past week, cross-border fighting has killed at least 18 civilians.

statisticAfghan authorities

Confidence

0.80

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Full report

2 min read · 328 words

The civilians – three children and a woman – are killed in an attack on Khost province, local official says.Published On 16 Mar 2026Four people have been killed, including three children, in an overnight Pakistani shelling attack in eastern Afghanistan, Afghan officials report as fighting continues for a third consecutive week.Mustaghfir Gubuz, spokesperson for the governor in Khost province, told the AFP news agency on Monday that at midnight (19:30 GMT on Sunday), Pakistani forces “fired mortar shells on the Nari village of Gurbuz district, killing a woman and a child”.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Pakistan orders sweeping austerity measures as Iran war triggers oil crisislist 2 of 3Eight Arab, Islamic countries condemn Israeli closure of Al-Aqsa Mosquelist 3 of 3India releases Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk after six months in jailend of listThe governor’s office also said in a statement that mortar shelling killed two children in the Afghan Dubai area of Khost.Separately, government spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat said on X that one person was killed in the eastern province of Nuristan on Sunday when shelling hit a “civilian home”.According to Afghan authorities, in the past week, cross-border fighting has killed at least 18 civilians.On Sunday, the World Food Programme (WFP) said it had begun mobilising to provide “immediate lifesaving food” to more than 20,000 families that had been displaced in Afghanistan due to the conflict.In a news release, John Aylieff, WFP country director in Afghanistan, said: “We cannot afford to look away.”“Afghanistan is caught between two conflicts, and any further instability will push millions deeper into hunger while adding strain to a region already on the brink,” Aylieff said.An Afghan man receives packages of fortified biscuits distributed by the World Food Programme in the Laja Mangal district of Paktia province [AFP]Tensions boiled over at the end of February and resulted in some of the worst fighting in recent years when Afghanistan launched cross-border attacks in response to Pakistani air attacks that Kabul said killed civilians.

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