The border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, a jagged scar of mountains and mistrust, has erupted again in fury, according to Euro News. On Thursday, February 26, 2026, Afghanistan’s Taliban-led forces launched what they called “large-scale offensive operations” along the disputed Durand Line, striking Pakistani military outposts in retaliation for deadly Pakistani airstrikes days earlier.
Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid announced on X that Afghan troops had captured 15 Pakistani border posts, killed numerous soldiers, and taken some alive. Military sources claimed heavy attacks unfolded in provinces like Nangarhar and Kunar, with no Afghan casualties reported on their side. Deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat echoed the claims, saying operations targeted repeated Pakistani “provocations and violations.”
The strikes followed Pakistan’s February 22 airstrikes on alleged militant hideouts in Nangarhar, Paktika, and Khost provinces. Islamabad insisted the raids killed over 70 militants from groups like Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and ISKP, responding to recent deadly attacks inside Pakistan. Afghan officials countered that the bombs killed at least 18 civilians including women and children, denying any militant presence and calling the strikes unforgivable aggression.
Pakistan swiftly rejected Kabul’s victory claims. Its information ministry described Afghan fire as “unprovoked” across sectors in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, vowing an “immediate and effective response” that inflicted heavy casualties on Taliban positions and destroyed equipment. Local reports spoke of clashes spreading to multiple districts, with both sides trading artillery and gunfire.
Tensions have simmered for months, worsened by border closures after October clashes that left over 70 dead. Accusations fly: Pakistan blames Afghanistan for harboring TTP fighters launching attacks; Kabul insists these are Pakistan’s internal woes and accuses Islamabad of sheltering ISKP elements.
UN human rights chief Volker Türk urged dialogue to halt the spiral, warning that force only deepens suffering. As smoke rises over the frontier and families on both sides grieve, the fragile peace feels shattered once more two neighbors locked in a cycle of revenge that endangers the entire region.
