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Pakistan Responds Forcefully to Unprovoked Firing by Afghan Taliban at Torkham and Tirah Border
Pakistan's security forces retaliated against unprovoked Afghan Taliban firing at Torkham and Tirah. The attack comes amid ongoing tensions and military strikes targeting terrorist camps in Afghanistan.
ND
by News Desk
2026-02-24
Pakistan Responds Forcefully to Unprovoked Firing by Afghan Taliban at Torkham and Tirah Border

Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan flared once again on Tuesday as Afghan Taliban forces initiated unprovoked firing along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in the Torkham and Tirah areas. According to Mosharraf Zaidi, the prime minister’s spokesperson for foreign media, the Afghan Taliban's aggression was met with a swift and effective response by Pakistan's security forces.

In a post on social media platform X, Zaidi stated, “Pakistan’s security forces responded immediately and effectively, silencing the Taliban aggression.” He further emphasized that any further provocation from the Taliban would be met with an immediate and severe response, asserting that Pakistan would continue to protect its citizens and safeguard its territorial integrity.

The latest incident comes on the heels of an intensive military operation conducted by Pakistan earlier in the week. Over the weekend, Pakistan targeted terrorist camps and hideouts in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar and Paktika provinces, killing more than 80 terrorists. The strikes were among the largest military engagements between the two nations since border clashes erupted in October 2025.

The Pakistani government maintained that the strikes were a response to a series of terrorist attacks on Pakistani soil, including the February 16 suicide bombing at an imambargah in Islamabad and attacks in Bannu and Bajaur. A statement from Pakistan’s Information Ministry confirmed that the attacks were carried out by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliates, also referred to by the government as "Khwarij."

Pakistan’s Efforts to Address Cross-Border Terrorism
In the statement, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information further accused the Afghan Taliban regime of failing to take meaningful action against the groups responsible for cross-border terrorism. “Despite repeated efforts by Pakistan to urge the Afghan Taliban regime to take verifiable measures to deny the use of Afghan territory by terrorist groups, the regime failed to undertake any substantive action,” it said.

This latest military engagement highlights the rising frustration in Pakistan over the Taliban's inability, or unwillingness, to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil. Since the Taliban’s return to power in Kabul in 2021, Pakistan has seen a resurgence in terrorist activities, with many of these attacks traced back to Afghan-based militants. Pakistan continues to push the Afghan government to take stronger action against groups like the TTP, who have carried out numerous deadly attacks in Pakistan, targeting both civilians and security forces.

Recent Terror Attacks in Pakistan
The ongoing violence has resulted in a significant loss of life in Pakistan. On February 16, a suicide attack on a joint security forces post in Bajaur district killed 11 Pakistani soldiers, including a young girl who died in the blast, which also injured several others. The TTP claimed responsibility for the attack, and it was revealed that the suicide bomber was a member of the Afghan Taliban’s special forces from Balkh province.

A similar pattern of violence followed on February 21, when a lieutenant colonel and a sepoy were martyred during an intelligence-based operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district. In response, the military issued a statement vowing to continue its operations against the perpetrators of these attacks, stressing that "terrorists are using Afghan soil" for carrying out assaults inside Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Retaliatory Strikes
On February 19, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned that Pakistan would not hesitate to conduct strikes inside Afghanistan if cross-border attacks persisted. He emphasized that military options remained available and would be used to protect Pakistan’s sovereignty and ensure retribution for terrorist acts.

The Strained Pakistan-Afghanistan Relationship
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained tense, especially after a series of deadly border clashes in October 2025, which saw 23 Pakistani soldiers martyred and over 200 Taliban and affiliated terrorists killed. The violence broke out after a Taliban attack on Pakistan, which Islamabad claimed was orchestrated by Afghan militants under the direction of the Afghan Taliban leadership.

The situation has further deteriorated with Pakistan conducting air strikes in Kunar, Khost, and Paktika provinces in November 2025, reportedly targeting terrorist camps linked to the TTP. While the Afghan Taliban government did not confirm the strikes, they condemned them, and tensions over cross-border military actions have continued to escalate.

Looking Forward
Pakistan’s government has expressed that it will continue to target terrorist sanctuaries wherever they exist, including in Afghanistan, and has reiterated that it will not exercise any restraint when it comes to defending its people.

The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, with calls for both Pakistan and Afghanistan to engage in dialogue to address the cross-border terrorism that has cost lives on both sides of the border.
Tagged:

BorderClashes

PakistanAfghanistan

PakistanTerrorism

TerroristSanctuaries
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