Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - Taliban authorities launched major\nretaliatory attacks against Pakistani military positions along the\nshared border on Thursday (26 February 2026), in response to airstrikes\nconducted by Pakistan the previous week.<\/p>\n
Afghanistan\u2019s military media office in the eastern region confirmed\nthat large-scale armed clashes erupted from Thursday evening onwards.\nThe retaliatory strikes focused on Pakistani military defence points in\nNangarhar and Paktia provinces.<\/p>\n
\u201cIntense fighting began on Thursday evening as a response to recent\nairstrikes conducted by Pakistani forces in Nangarhar and Paktia\nprovinces,\u201d stated a statement from Afghanistan\u2019s eastern military media\noffice, quoted by Al Jazeera.<\/p>\n
Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid affirmed that this\nmilitary operation was in response to continued provocative actions by\nPakistan\u2019s military. He claimed the large-scale assault targeted\nmilitary installations along the Durand Line.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn response to provocations and repeated violations by Pakistan\u2019s\nmilitary circles, a large-scale offensive operation has been launched\nagainst Pakistani military positions and installations along the Durand\nLine,\u201d asserted Zabihullah Mujahid through a post on social media\nplatform X.<\/p>\n
A source within Afghanistan\u2019s military provided further details on\nthe impact of the attack against Pakistani forces. He claimed Taliban\nforces successfully disabled personnel and seized several military\ninfrastructure belonging to the nuclear power in the lightning\nstrike.<\/p>\n
\u201cTen Pakistani soldiers were killed and thirteen forward posts were\nsuccessfully captured in Thursday\u2019s attack, conducted in retaliation for\nPakistan\u2019s strikes along the border on Sunday,\u201d the Afghan military\nsource told Al Jazeera.<\/p>\n
Pakistan\u2019s government promptly responded through its Ministry of\nInformation and Broadcasting, claiming they had delivered commensurate\ncounter-strikes and \u201cpunished\u201d Taliban forces attempting to infiltrate\ntheir territory.<\/p>\n
\u201cTaliban regime forces are being punished in the Chitral, Khyber,\nMohmand, Kurram and Bajaur sectors. Initial reports confirm heavy\ncasualties on the Afghan side with several posts and equipment\ndestroyed,\u201d read Pakistan\u2019s official ministry statement posted on social\nmedia platform X.<\/p>\n
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif\u2019s spokesman Mosharraf Zaidi\nalso refuted the Taliban\u2019s claims regarding the loss of military posts,\nasserting that Pakistan\u2019s military maintained full control of the border\nfront lines.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo Pakistani forward posts have been captured or damaged, and\nPakistani forces have inflicted significant losses along the\nPakistan-Afghanistan border in response to unjustified Taliban\naggression,\u201d said Mosharraf Zaidi.<\/p>\n
Senior analyst from Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED),\nPearl Pandya, assessed that a porous border provides space for armed\ngroups to move freely. This is known to trigger conflicts between\nIslamabad and Kabul, with Pakistan claiming the Taliban have opened\nAfghanistan as a haven for terrorist groups operating in their\nterritory.<\/p>\n
Pandya highlighted the Taliban\u2019s difficulty in taking serious action\nagainst the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorist group due to\nideological ties and political risks. This provides the group with an\nopportunity to develop safely in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Afghanistan Taliban appear reluctant to seriously crack down on\nthe TTP, partly because of earlier closeness between the two groups but\nalso due to fear of TTP militant defections to their main rival, the\nIslamic State Khorasan Province,\u201d explained Pearl Pandya.<\/p>\n
Given the trend of escalating violence in early 2026, Pandya\npredicted that the situation at both nations\u2019 borders would become\nincreasingly difficult to control without concrete action from\nKabul.<\/p>\n
\u201cWithout serious crackdowns on the TTP by Afghanistan, further\nescalation appears unavoidable,\u201d Pandya concluded.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/muslim-nation-attacks-asias-nuclear-giant-strikes-military-sites-1772164848", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }