The ongoing conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan escalated further tensions in the Asian region.
Two Pakistani soldiers were killed after an Afghanistan led attack over the border – which Afghan has described as retaliatory action against Pakistani airstrike that killed dozens on Tuesday.
Why Pakistan Attacked Afghan on February 22 ?
Pakistan launched airstrikes targeting alleged militant hideouts in Afghanistan’s eastern provinces of Nangarhar and Paktika, claiming to eliminate threats from groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K). Pakistani officials asserted that the operation killed at least 80 militants, describing it as a necessary response to recent attacks within their territory.
However, Afghan authorities condemned the strikes as a violation of sovereignty, reporting that they hit civilian areas, including homes and a religious seminary, resulting in at least 18 deaths—mostly women and children—and several injuries.
Afghan Retaliated: Afghan Claims 55 Pakistani Soldiers Killed
In retaliation, Afghan forces initiated a large-scale operation on Thursday, targeting Pakistani military positions across six border provinces. The Taliban-led government framed the assault as a direct response to Pakistan’s aggression, claiming to have captured 19 outposts, destroyed equipment including tanks and artillery, and inflicted heavy casualties.
Afghan spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat reported that up to 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed, with 23 bodies recovered and an undisclosed number captured.
Pakistan claims 72 Afghan-Taliban fighters killed
Pakistani forces swiftly countered, with officials stating they repelled the attacks, killing 72 Afghan Taliban fighters and wounding over 120, while destroying 16 posts and capturing seven. Pakistan’s losses were minimal, with two soldiers killed and three injured, according to Information Minister Attaullah Tarar.
Afghanistan, however, reported only eight of its soldiers killed and 11 injured.
The clashes, which involved heavy artillery and lasted several hours, ended around midnight, but explosions and aircraft sounds were later heard in Kabul, raising fears of further escalation.
The United Nations and humanitarian groups have expressed concern over civilian impacts.
What is the Epi-Center Reason for the Conflict?
At the heart of these tensions lies Pakistan’s accusation that Afghanistan harbors militant groups responsible for attacks inside its borders. Islamabad blames the TTP and IS-K affiliates for a wave of violence, including a February 2026 suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Islamabad that killed 32 people. The TTP, formed in December 2007 as an umbrella alliance of Sunni Islamist factions in Pakistan’s tribal areas, seeks to overthrow the government and impose its version of Sharia law.
Killings by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
Rooted in opposition to Pakistani military operations against al-Qaeda-linked militants post-2001, the group unified under leaders like Baitullah Mehsud and later Mullah Fazlullah, expanding attacks to include suicide bombings on markets, mosques, airports, and military bases. By 2025, the TTP had conducted around 700 attacks, killing over 685 security personnel and 900 civilians in Pakistan, with activity concentrated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. The Taliban’s 2021 takeover in Kabul provided the TTP with safe havens, boosting its resurgence through recruitment, training, and cross-border operations.
Complementing the TTP threat is IS-K, established in 2015 as a regional branch of the Islamic State, operating primarily along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border in provinces like Nangarhar and Kunar. Drawing from disaffected Taliban fighters and foreign militants, IS-K has executed nearly 100 civilian attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan since 2017, killing over 1,000 people through bombings and assaults. In 2025 alone, IS-K targeted religious minorities, electoral sites, and security forces, including a mosque bombing in Quetta that killed 10. Despite Taliban crackdowns, IS-K’s resilience stems from porous borders and ideological affinities, with UN reports noting al-Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan aiding such groups. Pakistan’s intelligence estimates link several 2026 attacks, including one killing 11 security personnel in Bajaur, to Afghan-based operatives.
Failed Peace Agreements
Previous ceasefires, like the Qatar-Turkey-mediated one in October 2025 following clashes that killed over 200 on both sides, have proven fragile. Pakistan’s expulsion of over 850,000 Afghan nationals in 2025 further strained relations. Analysts warn that continued hostilities risk broader destabilization in South Asia, potentially drawing in regional powers like India, China, and Iran, while empowering militants.
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