Pakistan claims to have killed at least 70 militants in strikes along the Afghan border

Source: AP

By MUNIR AHMED and ABDUL QAHAR AFGHAN
Updated 12:16 PM CST, February 22, 2026
Leer en español

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Pakistan’s military killed at least 70 militants in strikes along the border with Afghanistan early Sunday, targeting what it described as hideouts of Pakistani militants it blamed for recent attacks inside the country, the deputy interior minister said. Kabul rejected the claim.

Talal Chaudhry, Pakistan’s deputy interior minister, offered no evidence for his claim in an interview with Geo News that at least 70 militants were killed in the strikes. Pakistan’s state-run media later reported that militant fatalities jumped to 80.

The Afghan Defense Ministry said in a statement that “various civilian areas” in the provinces of Nangarhar and Paktika in eastern Afghanistan were hit, including a religious madrassa and multiple homes. The statement called the strikes a violation of Afghanistan’s airspace and sovereignty.

Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said on X the attacks “killed and wounded dozens, including women and children.” He said Pakistan’s claim of killing 70 militants was “inaccurate.”



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/pakistan-afghanistan-militants-strikes-border-b849ad97b462de8067d1b7f20ffd9f9e