KABUL: Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government said late on the night of February 26 that its forces had seized 15 Pakistani military posts and inflicted significant casualties in what it described as a retaliatory operation against recent Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan territory.
Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Afghan forces had launched large-scale attacks along the contested Durand Line after Pakistani aircraft struck targets earlier in the week. Writing on X, Mujahid claimed that “several soldiers have been killed, and a number of them have been caught alive,” adding that the number of captured outposts had reached 15.
Deputy Spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan Hamdullah Fitrat tweets, "The major headquarters of the Pakistani regime located at Anzar Sar, under the Babrak post in the Alisher–Terezi district of Khost Province, has just been captured. Dozens of soldiers are killed and… pic.twitter.com/jqSxi3Fa6s
— ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2026
Afghanistan’s eastern military corps reported “heavy clashes” beginning Thursday night in Nangarhar and Kunar provinces. Wahidullah Mohammadi, a military spokesperson in eastern Afghanistan, said Afghan forces carried out “heavy attacks on Pakistani outposts” and reported no casualties on the Afghan side.
#BREAKING: Afghan Taliban goes after Pakistan Army in a major military offensive on Af-Pak border. Till now:
— Two Pakistani army posts in the Mashin Naw area of Dora Baba sub-district, Nangarhar district;
— Three posts in the Anargi area of Goshta;
— And two posts in the Doklam…— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) February 26, 2026
Deputy Taliban government spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat also confirmed the capture of 15 outposts, underscoring what Kabul portrayed as a successful counteroffensive.
Islamabad Rejects Claims, Accuses Kabul of Provocation
Pakistan, however, rejected Afghanistan’s version of events, accusing Afghan forces of initiating the confrontation. Islamabad’s information ministry stated that Afghan troops had “opened unprovoked fire on multiple locations” across the border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and said Pakistani forces were responding “immediately and effectively.”
The cross-border escalation follows Pakistani air operations launched on Sunday targeting what Islamabad described as militant hideouts inside Afghan territory. Pakistan’s military claimed that at least 70 militants were killed in those strikes.
Kabul has firmly disputed those claims, asserting that the bombings resulted in civilian casualties.
Civilian Casualties Alleged in Airstrikes
According to Afghan officials, Pakistani air raids struck residential areas, schools and a religious seminary in eastern provinces, including Nangarhar and Paktika.
Mujahid said dozens of civilians, including women and children, were killed or wounded. Afghanistan’s defence ministry echoed those allegations, stating that “dozens of innocent civilians” were martyred when airstrikes hit homes and public buildings.
Afghan broadcaster Tolo News reported that a house in Behsud district of Nangarhar was struck, with 23 members of a single family reportedly buried under rubble. The outlet also reported that a religious seminary in Bermal district of Paktika was among the targets.
Pakistan confirmed conducting cross-border strikes in multiple districts, including Bermal and Argun in Paktika and Khogyani and Bahsod in Nangarhar.
Rising Violence Fuels Diplomatic Strain
The recent escalation comes amid a surge in militant violence in Pakistan’s border regions. A suicide bombing in Bajaur district killed 11 soldiers and a child earlier this week, while another attack in Bannu claimed the lives of two soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel.
Pakistani authorities said the Bajaur attacker was an Afghan national. Following the incidents, Pakistan’s military warned it would not “exercise any restraint” in pursuing those responsible, “irrespective of their location.”
Afghanistan has consistently denied allowing armed groups to use its territory for cross-border attacks, dismissing Islamabad’s accusations as baseless.
The international community has expressed concern over the deteriorating situation. India’s Ministry of External Affairs strongly condemned Pakistan’s airstrikes on Afghan territory, citing civilian casualties during the holy month of Ramadan.
Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have remained tense for months, with sporadic border clashes resulting in casualties on both sides. The Durand Line — a colonial-era boundary that Afghanistan has never formally recognised — continues to be a flashpoint for conflict.
Observers warn that the latest exchange represents one of the most serious military escalations between the two countries in recent years. With both sides hardening their positions and nationalist sentiment rising domestically, prospects for de-escalation appear uncertain.
