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Pakistan Airstrikes Hit Afghan Border Areas on Early Sunday

  • By Thetripurapost Web Desk, Kabul
  • Feb 22, 2026
  • 956

Pakistan carried out pre-dawn airstrikes in Afghanistan’s border regions on Sunday, targeting what it described as militant infrastructure linked to the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic State. According to Al Jazeera, Pakistan’s military claimed seven camps and hideouts were struck in what it termed an intelligence-based operation.

Islamabad characterized the action as a retaliatory response to recent suicide attacks inside Pakistan. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting stated that credible evidence indicated the perpetrators were operating from Afghan territory.

However, Afghan sources have disputed Pakistan’s account. TOLOnews reported that one strike hit a residential house in Nangarhar province, trapping 23 members of a single family beneath the rubble. Only four individuals were reportedly rescued. The family was asleep at the time of the strike.

The US-based International Human Rights Foundation (IHRF) claimed that at least 16 civilians, including women and children, were killed. Official casualty figures have yet to be released.

Afghanistan Warns of “Timely Response”

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense condemned the strikes as a violation of sovereignty and warned of a “strong reply at an appropriate time.” Afghan officials alleged that, in addition to Nangarhar, a drone strike targeted a religious school in Paktika province.

While Pakistan insists that only militant hideouts were targeted, Afghan authorities maintain that civilians bore the brunt of the assault.

Pakistan Urges Pressure on Taliban

Islamabad renewed its demand that the international community pressure the Taliban to prevent Afghan soil from being used by militant groups. Pakistan referenced commitments made under the 2020 Doha Agreement, signed in Doha between the United States and the Taliban.

Under the agreement, the Taliban pledged that Afghan territory would not be used to threaten the security of the US and its allies, including commitments to sever ties with al-Qaeda and other extremist networks. Following the deal, US forces withdrew in 2021, and the Taliban rapidly seized control of Kabul.

Surge in Violence Inside Pakistan

The cross-border strikes followed a string of deadly attacks in Pakistan.

In Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a suicide bombing targeted a security convoy, killing two soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel. In Bajaur, a vehicle laden with explosives rammed into a checkpoint, killing 11 soldiers and a child. Pakistani officials identified the attacker as an Afghan national.

Earlier this month, a suicide blast struck a Shia mosque (Imambara) in Islamabad during Friday prayers, killing 31 people and injuring 169, according to the Pakistani daily Dawn. The Islamic State claimed responsibility.

TTP: Pakistan’s Primary Security Threat

The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), formed in December 2007 under the leadership of Baitullah Mehsud, emerged in the aftermath of Pakistan’s military operations in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and the 2007 Lal Masjid operation in Islamabad. The group seeks to overthrow the Pakistani state and impose its interpretation of Sharia law.

Since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021, TTP attacks inside Pakistan have intensified. Islamabad alleges that TTP militants receive sanctuary and training in Afghanistan — a charge the Taliban denies.

According to the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies, terrorist violence in Pakistan has reached its highest level since 2015.

Pakistan in the Global Terrorism Index

The 2025 Global Terrorism Index ranks Pakistan as the second-most terrorism-affected country in the world after Burkina Faso, up from fourth place in 2024.

The report notes:

  • A 90% rise in TTP attacks

  • A 60% increase in violence by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA)

  • Expanding operations by Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K)

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan account for nearly 90% of terrorist incidents in the country.

In 2024 alone, the TTP reportedly carried out 482 attacks, resulting in 558 deaths — a 91% increase compared to 2023.

Historical Fault Lines

Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan are rooted in longstanding disputes over the Durand Line, the contested border dividing the two nations. Mutual accusations of harboring militants have deepened mistrust, particularly since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021.

With cross-border strikes and retaliatory threats escalating, regional stability remains fragile, raising concerns of a broader deterioration in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations.