Pakistan Suffers Heavy Casualties As Afghan Taliban Launches Offensive Operations Along Durand Line

Last Updated:February 26, 2026, 22:25 IST

Afghan Taliban forces launched coordinated attacks using artillery and infantry on Pakistani checkposts along the Durand Line.

Afghanistan on Thursday launched a large-scale offensive against Pakistan by targeting its military facilities in retaliation for Islamabad’s airstrikes on February 22. Tensions flared along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border on Thursday as heavy fighting erupted between Pakistani security forces and Afghan fighters along the disputed Durand Line in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa district.

Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid confirmed on X that Kabul had launched a large-scale retaliatory offensive against Pakistan by targeting its military checkpoints. “In response to repeated insurrections and insurrections by Pakistan’s military circles, extensive offensive operations were launched on Pakistani army centres and military facilities along the Durand Line," he said.

“In response to its rebellion and repeated acts of defiance by the special military clique of Pakistan, extensive offensive operations against the centers and military facilities of Pakistani forces along the Durand Line have commenced," he said.

Security sources told CNN-News18 that Afghan Taliban forces launched coordinated attacks using artillery and infantry on Pakistani checkposts in the Maro Sar and Shahkot Sar areas near Zakha Khel market, which have reportedly inflicted heavy casualties on Pakistan.

At least nine Pakistani troops are believed to be severely wounded in the Afghan attack on security checkpoints, with sources predicting that the conflict may escalate further.

This came after Pakistani security forces launched massive strikes against Afghan Taliban checkposts along the Durand Line earlier this week, resulting in significant casualties on both sides. Sources confirmed that at least 28 TTP fighters were killed in the strikes, which were conducted across eastern and southeastern Afghanistan.

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Pakistan Checkposts Captured

Intense heavy weapons fire is also ongoing in Mohmand (Torkhel and Gursal), Chitral (Arandu), and parts of Kurram district along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Sources reported that people in Kurram are also participating in Pakistan’s retaliatory action against the Afghan Taliban.

Furthermore, it was reported that three Pakistani posts in Goshta, Nangarhar, and two in Kunar have been captured. Heavy gunfight is also underway between the two sides at the Shorko border.

The spokesperson for the Khalid bin Walid 201st Corps announced that clashes involving Afghan border security forces in the eastern provinces have begun and are ongoing in response to airstrikes by the Pakistani military. Afghan forces have also launched retaliatory attacks on Pakistani militia posts across various areas of the Durand Line in Kunar and Nangarhar provinces.

This surge in violence follows a series of Pakistani airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan, triggering retaliatory fire from Afghan Taliban fighters across the Tirah, Torkham, and Waziristan sectors. Islamabad has long vowed action against a sharp increase in terror attacks originating from Afghan soil.

Pakistani Airstrikes On Afghanistan

The Taliban’s Ministry of Defence has condemned the ongoing actions as a breach of international law, warning of a “calculated and appropriate response".

“Attacks on civilian targets and religious centres are clear evidence of the Pakistani army’s intelligence and security failures, and such repeated aggressions will never conceal their internal shortcomings," it said in a post on X.

“Pakistan has violated Afghan airspace," a source told CNN-News18, stressing that the Taliban “has the right to retaliate." While no immediate response has been announced, the leadership indicated that retaliation remains on the table. “We will strike back at the perfect time," the source said.

On the other hand, Pakistan said it had “conclusive evidence" linking the attacks to militants operating from Afghan territory and reiterated that it had repeatedly urged Afghan authorities to prevent such groups from using its soil, while maintaining that it remains committed to peace and stability.

News world Pakistan Suffers Heavy Casualties As Afghan Taliban Launches Offensive Operations Along Durand Line

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