Afghanan vows retaliation after Pak kills dozens in cross-border strikes: What we know so far | World News

4 min readUpdated: Feb 22, 2026 12:11 PM The Pakani army launched multiple airstrikes Saturday night, along the border with neighbouring Afghanan, targeting hideouts of militants, which it said were behind recent attacks inside the country.ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO
The Afghan government, in a post on X, said that “dozens of people” were “martyred” and wounded in the attack.
“Last night, they bombed our civilian compatriots in Nangarhar and Paktika provinces, martyring and wounding dozens of people, including women and children,” Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said in a post on X.
Here’s what we know so far
Confirming the attack, Pakan Information Miner Attaullah Tarar wrote in a post on X that the military conducted “intelligence-based, selective operations” against seven camps belonging to the Pakani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakan, or TTP, and its affiliates.
He said that one of the affiliates of the Islamic State group was also targeted Pakan in the border region.
“Pakan has carried out intelligence-based selective targeting of seven terror camps and hideouts belonging to Pakani Taliban and its affiliates in the border region,” he said.
Tarar stated that Islamabad “has always strived to maintain peace and stability in the region,” however, the safety and security of Pakani citizens remained a top priority, he added.Story continues below this ad
‘Afghan Taliban Regime failed to undertake any substantive action,’ says Pak
Expressing disappointment with the Afghan Taliban Regime’s lack of action against “terror groups” operating from Afghan soil, the Pakan army called on the Interim Afghan Government to fulfil its obligations under the Doha Agreement.
“Despite repeated efforts Pakan to urge the Afghan Taliban Regime to take verifiable measures to deny use of Afghan territory terror groups and foreign proxies to carry out terror activities in Pakan, the Afghan Taliban Regime failed to undertake any substantive action against them,” the Pakan army said in a statement.
“Pakan expects and reiterates [that the] Interim Afghan Government […] fulfil its obligations and deny use of its soil Khwarij and terrors against Pakan, as the safety and security of people of Pakan comes first and foremost. Pakan also expects the international community to play a positive and constructive role urging the Taliban regime to stand its commitments as part of [the] Doha Agreement to deny use of its soil against other countries; an act vital for regional and global peace and security,” the statement added.
Afghanan vows retaliationStory continues below this ad
Afghan Defence Minry lashed out at Pakan over killing “several civilians” in the Nangarhar and Paktika provinces, calling the airstrikes “a clear violation of international laws”.
Accusing Islamabad of intelligence and security failures, Kabul vowed an “appropriate and calculated response” to the cross-border strikes.
“Attacks on national institutions and religious centres are clear proof of the Pakani military’s intelligence and security failures, and such repeated violations will never conceal their internal shortcomings,” the minry said.
“We strongly condemn this blatant violation and crime against the country’s national sanctuary. We consider this act a clear violation of international laws, the principles of neighbourliness, and Islamic values,” it said.Story continues below this ad
The minry further warned of a “calculated response” to Pakan’s actions.
“The minry considers protecting the territory of the country and the security of the people as its legal and national responsibility and warns of an appropriate and calculated response at the appropriate time,” it said.