Following the killing of eight Pakistani security forces in an explosion in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Zalmay Khalilzad, former U.S. special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation, said Islamabad is likely to blame Afghanistan, a move he warned could further escalate tensions and increase the risk of real conflict between the two countries.

Khalilzad said on X late Friday: “It is heart-breaking to watch old patterns that led to nothing but grief in the past, continuously replay again and again. It will not lead anywhere good. And the tragic irony is that an “alternative future” is absolutely within reach and would be so much better for both countries and all of their people: an economic partnership between Afghanistan and Pakistan that would bring prosperity to both.”

He reiterated his long-standing call for a negotiated solution, proposing a new agreement between the two countries under which neither side would allow its territory to be used by individuals or groups to threaten the other’s security, with oversight from a trusted third party.

Khalilzad urged both sides to reconsider their approach, saying Pakistan and Afghanistan are on a “tragic trajectory” and must make a bold shift.

He also expressed condolences to the families of the Pakistani soldiers killed in the attack.

Richard Lindsay, the United Kingdom’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, has expressed concern over the arrest of three journalists by the Islamic Emirate, urging authorities to ensure press freedom and due process.

“Concerned by reports that 3 journalists have been detained in Afghanistan without clear charges, as well as reports of assaults and property seizures. We urge transparency, due process, and respect for rights. Journalists must be able to work without fear,” said Lindsay on X.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) also voiced strong concern over the detention, calling on the Islamic Emirate to clarify the charges against the journalists and ensure accountability in the handling of the case.

A 20-year-old Afghan migrant has been arrested in Germany over the alleged sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl inside a school toilet in the city of Koblenz.

According to prosecutors, the incident occurred on April 28 after the suspect and another man allegedly entered the school premises. Investigators say the suspect cornered the girl in the restroom while a second 19-year-old man allegedly restrained her during the attack.

The girl reportedly told her older sister about the incident two days later. Her family then located the suspect at a nearby residence and informed police.

German authorities arrested the suspect on May 4. He remains in pre-trial detention and has been charged with committing sexual acts against a child on school grounds.

The Koblenz prosecutor’s office confirmed the suspect’s Afghan nationality to German broadcaster SWR. Prosecutors also stated that the man had previously been under investigation in another alleged sexual offence case. He had earlier been fined for possessing a blank-firing pistol without a licence.

Police said the second suspect is still being investigated as a suspected accomplice and remains at large.

Authorities have not yet clarified how the two men allegedly gained access to the school property.