Sunday, February 22, 2026 l Dalena News Desk
ISLAMABAD & KABUL — Tensions along the Afghanistan–Pakistan border sharply escalated Sunday as the Pakistan Air Force conducted a series of airstrikes and military operations inside neighbouring Afghanistan, targeting what Islamabad described as militant hideouts linked to groups it blames for recent deadly attacks on Pakistani soil. The strikes have left dozens of people dead, including women and children, and prompted strong diplomatic condemnations from Kabul and international observers.
According to official statements from Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, its forces carried out “intelligence-based, selective operations” late Saturday night into early Sunday on suspected camps and fighter hideouts of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and affiliates of the Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISKP) within Afghanistan’s eastern provinces of Nangarhar and Paktika. Islamabad said the strikes were in retaliation for a series of militant attacks, including recent suicide bombings that killed scores of civilians and security personnel inside Pakistan.
Pakistani authorities reported that at least 70 militants were killed in the operation and defended the action as a necessary response to terrorism emanating from Afghan territory. The information minister stressed that the strikes were carefully targeted and intended to enhance border security by disrupting insurgent infrastructure.
However, officials in Kabul strongly denied Pakistan’s account, asserting that the airstrikes struck civilian areas, including homes and a religious seminary, resulting in significant civilian casualties, with some reports indicating at least 18 people killed, including children, and others left missing under rubble. A government spokesperson described the military action as a violation of Afghanistan’s sovereignty and pledged an “appropriate and measured response” at a suitable time.
The Taliban-led Afghan government also summoned Pakistan’s ambassador in protest and called on the international community to condemn the incursions, highlighting the humanitarian toll and the danger to non-combatants during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan.
The violence marks a resurgence of cross-border hostilities in a region marked by recurring conflict. Relations between the two neighbours have long been strained over accusations that militant groups use Afghan soil as a base to orchestrate attacks inside Pakistan allegations Kabul has repeatedly denied. Efforts at diplomatic mediation, including ceasefire agreements brokered in late 2025 by regional actors such as Saudi Arabia, had temporarily eased tensions but did not prevent this latest flare-up.
International reactions were swift. India’s foreign ministry condemned Pakistan’s strikes, framing them as an attempt to “externalise internal failures” and affirming support for Afghanistan’s sovereignty. The diplomatic row underscores the broader regional implications of renewed military operations along the 2,600-kilometre border.
The situation remains volatile, with concerns that further exchanges could destabilise a fragile peace and impact security throughout South and Central Asia. Global observers are watching closely as both Islamabad and Kabul prepare for possible diplomatic or military responses in the coming days.