By ABDUL QAHAR AFGHAN and MUNIR AHMED Associated Press
Pakistan has launched new airstrikes on Afghanistan, ending a month of calm and escalating what Islamabad previously called "open war" between the neighbors. The strikes hit the eastern provinces of Khost, Kunar, and Paktika, killing 13 people, including 11 children. Pakistan confirmed the strikes and said 26 militants were killed as it targeted hideouts linked to recent attacks inside Pakistan. Fighting between the two countries has been ongoing since February. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harboring militants, while Kabul denies the charge. The border has been closed since October, disrupting trade and transportation. Efforts for peace talks have failed to produce a lasting truce.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have announced a ceasefire following days of the deadliest clashes in years that killed dozens of people on both sides of the border. The pause came after appeals from major regional powers, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The violence has threatened to further destabilize a region where groups including the Islamic State and al-Qaida are trying to resurface. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harboring armed groups. The country's Taliban rulers deny it. Pakistan has seen a growing number of militant attacks since 2021, when the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan. Key border crossings remain closed.
On Aug. 30, 1916, on his fourth attempt, explorer Ernest Shackelton successfully returned to Elephant Island in Antarctica to rescue 22 of his stranded crew members, who had survived on the barren island for four and a half months after the sinking of their ship, the Endurance.
