According to a report by Anadolu Agency on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, Pakistan’s military launched airstrikes early Friday targeting multiple locations in Afghanistan, including the capital, Kabul, as well as Kandahar and Paktia provinces, escalating the already tense situation along the two countries’ border. The Afghan government confirmed the strikes, describing them as focused on “certain areas” within the three provinces.
A government spokesperson in Kabul said that, as of the initial report, no casualties had been officially recorded. “The Pakistani military carried out airstrikes in certain areas of Kabul, Kandahar, and Paktia. Fortunately, there have been no reported casualties,” the official stated.
Meanwhile, Pakistan confirmed that its counterstrikes on Afghan targets were ongoing. Mosharraf Zaidi, spokesperson for Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, said the military operations aimed at neutralizing perceived threats included attacks on Afghan military installations. According to Zaidi, the strikes resulted in the deaths of 133 Afghan soldiers and left more than 200 wounded. He added that additional casualties were expected.
The Pakistani military reportedly destroyed 27 Afghan military posts and captured nine others. Significant infrastructure was also targeted, including two corps headquarters, three brigade headquarters, several battalion and sector command centers, ammunition depots, a logistics base, and over 80 tanks, artillery systems, and armored vehicles. Zaidi described the operations as Pakistan’s “immediate and effective response to aggression.”
The airstrikes followed violent clashes along the border the previous day, which Afghan officials characterized as a “retaliatory operation.” At least eight Afghan soldiers and two Pakistani soldiers were killed during the four-hour confrontation. Earlier attacks by Pakistan last week, which Islamabad claimed eliminated 70 militants, drew criticism from Afghan authorities and the United Nations, who reported civilian casualties claims Pakistan disputes.
Kabul, for its part, also claimed that 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed in the cross-border incidents, though these figures have not been independently verified. The latest escalation reflects mounting tensions between the two neighbors, rooted in Pakistan’s accusations that militant groups are operating from Afghan territory allegations that Afghanistan rejects.See_More…