Pakistan carried out a series of overnight airstrikes on February 21 targeting militant positions inside Afghanistan, as per to official statements cited by The Guardian. Afghan Taliban authorities reported that dozens of people were killed or injured in the strikes, including civilians.
Pakistani officials stated that the military operation targeted militant camps and hideouts but did not disclose precise locations. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said the strikes affected areas in Nangarhar and Paktika provinces, alleging civilian casualties, including women and children.
Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar described the operation as intelligence-based and aimed at facilities belonging to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and affiliated groups. He added that an affiliate linked to the Islamic State operating in border regions was also among the targets. Pakistani authorities stated that the actions were undertaken in response to security threats and emphasized that protecting national security remains a priority.
Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense condemned the strikes, describing them as a violation of national sovereignty and international law, and warned that an appropriate response would follow.
The airstrikes occurred shortly after a major militant attack in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where a suicide bomber drove an explosives-laden vehicle into a security checkpoint in Bajaur district near the Afghan border. The explosion caused structural damage and resulted in the deaths of 11 soldiers and one civilian. Pakistani authorities later identified the attacker as an Afghan national.
Following the February 21 operation, Pakistan’s military stated that counterterrorism operations against those responsible for attacks inside the country would continue regardless of location. Pakistani officials also said there was evidence linking recent attacks, including a suicide bombing at a Shiite mosque in Islamabad that killed 31 people, to militants allegedly operating under Afghan-based leadership.
Islamabad has repeatedly called on the international community to urge the Taliban administration to comply with commitments under the Doha Agreement, particularly provisions preventing Afghan territory from being used to launch attacks against other countries.
Security tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have intensified in recent years amid a rise in militant violence attributed primarily to the TTP and separatist groups in Balochistan. Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, Pakistan has accused TTP fighters of operating from Afghan territory, allegations denied by both the Taliban authorities and the militant group.
