Pakistan Strikes Afghanistan: 70+ Militants Killed in Border Clashes

KABUL, Afghanistan – Pakistan’s military conducted strikes targeting militant hideouts along the border with Afghanistan early on Sunday, February 22, 2026, resulting in the deaths of at least 70 militants, according to Pakistani officials. The strikes were in response to recent attacks within Pakistan that Islamabad attributes to groups operating from Afghan territory.

Talal Chaudhry, Pakistan’s Minister of State for Interior, told Geo News that the strikes killed at least 70 militants. Later, state-run media reported the number of casualties had risen to 80. Chaudhry stated the operations targeted seven camps belonging to the Pakistani Taliban, also known as TTP, and affiliated groups, including an Islamic State affiliate. He claimed the strikes were based on intelligence and were “selective operations” aimed at disrupting terrorist networks.

The Afghan Defense Ministry issued a statement condemning the strikes, asserting that “various civilian areas” in the provinces of Nangarhar and Paktika in eastern Afghanistan were hit, including a religious madrassa and civilian homes. The ministry characterized the strikes as a violation of Afghanistan’s airspace and sovereignty. Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the attacks “killed and wounded dozens, including women and children.” Mawlawi Fazl Rahman Fayyaz, the provincial director of the Afghan Red Crescent Society in Nangarhar province, reported 18 deaths and several injuries.

Civilian Accounts and Afghan Protest

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Pakistan’s ambassador to Kabul and delivered a formal protest note. The ministry asserted that protecting Afghanistan’s territory is a “Sharia responsibility” and warned Pakistan of potential consequences for further attacks.

On the ground in Nangarhar, villagers were seen clearing debris following the airstrikes, preparing for funerals. Habib Ullah, a local tribal elder, claimed those killed were not militants. “They were poor people who suffered greatly. Those killed were neither Taliban, nor military personnel, nor members of the former government. They lived simple village lives,” he told the Associated Press.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, writing on X, maintained that the military operations were necessary to safeguard Pakistani citizens. He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace and stability while emphasizing the priority of national security.

Escalating Tensions and Recent Attacks

The Pakistani strikes follow a recent surge in militant violence within Pakistan, much of which is attributed to the TTP and Baloch separatist groups. The TTP, while separate from the Afghan Taliban, maintains close ties. Islamabad accuses the TTP of operating from within Afghanistan, a charge both the group and Kabul deny.

Hours before the Pakistani strikes, a suicide bomber targeted a security convoy in Bannu, a district in Pakistan’s northwest, killing two soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel. Following this attack, the Pakistani military warned it would not “exercise any restraint” and would continue operations against those responsible.

Just days prior, a suicide bomber driving an explosives-laden vehicle attacked a security post in Bajaur district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bordering Afghanistan, resulting in the deaths of 11 soldiers and one child. Pakistani authorities identified the attacker as an Afghan national.

Tarar stated that Pakistan possesses “conclusive evidence” linking recent attacks, including a suicide bombing at a Shiite mosque in Islamabad earlier this month that killed 31 worshippers, to militants operating from Afghanistan under the direction of Afghanistan-based leadership. He added that Pakistan has repeatedly urged the Taliban authorities to prevent militant groups from using Afghan territory to launch attacks, alleging that no substantial action has been taken.

Failed Mediation Efforts

Security analyst Abdullah Khan in Islamabad suggested that the Pakistani strikes indicate the failure of mediation efforts led by Qatar, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia to de-escalate tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. “These strikes are likely to further escalate the situation,” he said.

A Qatari-mediated ceasefire between the two countries, established after deadly border clashes in October – which resulted in casualties among soldiers, civilians, and suspected militants – has largely held. However, several rounds of talks in Istanbul in November failed to produce a formal agreement, leaving relations strained. The October clashes followed explosions in Kabul that Afghan officials blamed on Pakistan, prompting retaliatory strikes by Islamabad.

The current situation underscores the complex and volatile security dynamics along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, a region long plagued by cross-border militancy and mistrust. The recent escalation raises concerns about a potential further deterioration of relations between the two countries and the potential for increased instability in the region.