A dramatic escalation unfolded along the Afghanistan–Pakistan frontier after Afghan forces launched a large-scale retaliatory assault targeting multiple sectors of the disputed Durand Line. The overnight operation came in response to Pakistani airstrikes on February 22 that Afghan authorities say killed 17 civilians and hit residential areas and madrasas.
According to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense, its forces struck six sectors along the border using mortars, artillery, tanks and multiple rocket launchers. Officials claimed that 19 Pakistani military posts and two camps were destroyed, and that more than 55 Pakistani soldiers were killed, with several others injured. Afghan troops reportedly crossed into Pakistani territory during the offensive, capturing positions and seizing weapons.
Cross-Border Assault Across Six Sectors
The operation, which lasted from 9 PM to 1 AM IST, targeted Pakistani military positions in Durand Line sectors including Pattia-Khurram, Kunar-Bajaur, Nangarhar-Khyber Torkham, Khost-Miranshah, Paktika-South Waziristan, and Nuristan-Dir. Afghan officials said the offensive extended deep into Pakistani territory, marking one of the most expansive cross-border strikes in recent years. Videos circulating from both sides appear to show Pakistani outposts engulfed in flames.
Recordings accessed by ABP News purportedly depict Afghan soldiers entering posts and firing inside as Pakistani troops retreat. The Afghan Defense Ministry stated that its forces now control 19 Pakistani outposts. In a significant claim, Kabul said the joint headquarters of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Islamic State Khorasan (ISKP) in Surghar, Khyber district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, was destroyed using a COTSEC drone equipped with mortar capability.
Corps-Level Command and Military Coordination
The offensive against Pakistani forces was led by Afghanistan’s 203 Mansoori Corps and 201 Khalid bin Walid Corps. Afghan Chief of Staff Muhammad Fasihuddin Fisrat reportedly oversaw operations from a central control room, coordinating closely with field commanders throughout the night. Following the initial phase, Afghan forces declared their retaliation complete at around 2 AM IST.
Pakistan Responds With Air and Drone Strikes
Pakistan responded with artillery and drone fire during the Afghan assault and later resumed aerial operations using fighter jets and unmanned systems. Strikes were reported in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktika. Islamabad said it targeted the 203 Mansoori Corps in Paktika, the 205 Al-Badr Corps in Kandahar, and the 313 Central Corps in Kabul. Afghan officials acknowledged that eight soldiers were killed and 13 injured in the retaliatory strikes. They also reported that 11 civilians were wounded in a drone attack on a displaced persons’ camp in Paktika, while asserting that no civilian deaths occurred in Kabul, Kandahar or Paktika.
Pakistan, however, offered sharply different figures, claiming its operations killed 133 Afghan soldiers, injured more than 200, destroyed 27 Afghan posts and captured nine. It also asserted that over 80 Afghan tanks and artillery systems were destroyed. As tensions mounted, Afghan forces reportedly launched fresh offensives at 5:30 AM IST along the Spin Boldak-Chaman and Helmand-Baramcha sectors, expanding hostilities to eight areas along the border.
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