Afghanistan hotel blast kills at least 3, injures 7

• Incident took place near Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
• Cause of deadly explosion remains unclear: officials.
• Pakistan's foreign office yet to comment officially.

KABUL: A powerful explosion Monday, killed three people and injured at least seven at a hotel in Khost province, Afghanistan near the Pakistan border, raising questions about ongoing confrontations between Taliban and Daesh.

The Khost media office said those killed in the blast were mostly from Pakistan's Waziristan border region, having a history of militant operations.

Despite the severity of the event, Pakistan's foreign office is yet to comment officially.

The Taliban-run administration in Afghanistan faces an insurgency from Islamic State militants, perpetuating deadly attacks on civilians and security forces. Concurrently, Pakistan experiences escalating violence by its Taliban militants, raising concerns about Afghanistan's role in curbing cross-border militancy.

The Taliban's focus on internal stability has led to operations against Islamic State cells. 

However, post-foreign troop withdrawal in 2021, Afghanistan's violence toll has surged, with over 1,000 civilian casualties reported by the United Nations. This incident accentuates regional instability, as Afghanistan and its neighbours grapple with militant factions' challenges.