New Afghan, Pakistani border clashes follow deadly strikes

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete by By AFP and ReutersFebruary 24, 2026 at 09:43 PM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

New clashes erupted between Afghan and Pakistani forces along their border on Tuesday, following deadly Pakistani air strikes in Afghanistan on Sunday. Both sides accuse the other of initiating the violence near the Torkham border area and Shahkot area. According to the UN, the prior Pakistani strikes on Nangarhar and Paktika Provinces killed at least 13 civilians, while the Taliban government reported 18 deaths. Tensions between the two countries have escalated in recent months, with border crossings largely closed since October. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan of harboring armed groups responsible for attacks within Pakistan, including a recent suicide bombing in Islamabad, a charge the Taliban denies.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Torkham 40% Zabihullah Noorani 40% UN 40% Mosharraf Zaidi 40% Islamabad ×250% Paktika Province 50% Nangarhar Province ×260% Taliban ×370% Afghanistan ×1090% Pakistan ×1290%

Keywords

border clashes 90% pakistan 80% afghanistan 80% air strikes 70% taliban 60% cross-border attacks 60% border region 50% armed groups 50% security forces 40%