The AfghanistanâÂÂPakistan clashes are a series of armed clashes consisting of cross-border airstrikes and exchanges of gunfire between the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The conflict also separately includes the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Pakistani Taliban, National Resistance Front (NRF), and the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF). The skirmishes took place over a number of locations in Afghanistan, along the AfghanistanâÂÂPakistan border, and Western and North-Western part of Pakistan. After de-escalation in March 2024, the conflict resurged in December 2024 with Pakistani airstrikes against Afghanistan, specifically in Paktika Province. Conflict in December 2024 marked the third round of air strikes by Pakistan on the territory of Afghanistan in a period of less than two years. The first similar Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan soil since Taliban takeover of Afghanistan were in 2022 and the second Pakistani airstrikes were in March 2024.
Starting on 9 October 2025, fighting between the two countries escalated, with a gunfight in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, followed by reported Pakistani airstrikes in Kabul, Khost, Jalalabad, and Paktika reportedly targeting the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) and its leader, Noor Wali Mehsud, though the group later claimed he survived. In retaliation, the Afghan Taliban launched attacks on multiple Pakistani military posts along the Durand Line on 11âÂÂ12 October, triggering intense cross-border clashes and reported Pakistani drone strikes in Kandahar and Helmand. Heavy fighting resumed around Spin Boldak on 15 October, after which Pakistan conducted further strikes in Kabul and Kandahar. Both sides accused each other of violating the truce and targeting civilians. On 19 October, following mediation by Qatar and Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire, under which Kabul pledged to curb militant activity against Pakistan, while both nations vowed to refrain from further attacks.
During the same period, the Pakistani Taliban and the Baloch Liberation Army carried out attacks inside Pakistan, while the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan and the Afghanistan Freedom Front launched assaults against the Afghan Taliban within Afghanistan. Both countries accused each other of supporting armed opposition groups operating against them.
On 21 February 2026, Pakistani airstrikes targeted Pakistani Taliban (TTP) militant camps in Afghanistan, which escalated into border clashes, and eventually, a broader war between the Afghan Taliban and Pakistani forces.
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is a militant group that was established in 2007 as a coalition of various hardline Sunni Islamist factions in Pakistan. This formation came in response to military actions against Al-Qaida-affiliated terrorists in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), an area in northwest Pakistan.
The group, led initially by Baitullah Mehsud, is primarily located along the border with Afghanistan and is estimated to have between 30,000 and 35,000 members. TTP aims to overthrow Pakistan's elected government to create an emirate governed by its interpretation of Islamic law. To achieve this goal, the TTP has attacked the Pakistani military and assassinated political figures. Their violent actions, including numerous suicide bombings, have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of military personnel, police, and civilians.
TTP has been responsible for some of the most devastating attacks in Pakistan, targeting churches, schools, and notable figures like Malala Yousafzai, who survived an assassination attempt in 2012 for advocating women's education against Taliban restrictions.
Following the Taliban's takeover in Afghanistan in 2021, TTP has become more aggressive, as its leaders and fighters are based in Afghanistan. After ending a cease-fire with the Pakistani government in late 2022, TTP has intensified its attacks, causing casualties among Pakistani soldiers and police.
While Pakistan has been accused of supporting the Afghan Taliban in the past, after the Taliban returned to power in 2021, border conflicts have repeatedly broken out between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The dramatic deterioration in relations between the two countries and the Pakistani government accuses the Afghan Taliban authorities of harboring the Pakistani Taliban rebels in its growing insurgency. At the same time, Taliban's ally, the Pakistani Taliban, has solidified its position as Pakistan's main enemy. As the border conflict between the Taliban-led Afghan government and Pakistan intensifies, the idea that Pakistan could achieve a strategic victory by helping the Taliban regain power has faded. The surge in terrorism in Pakistan was seen as retribution for its past support for the Taliban insurgency, with media accusing the Pakistani military of reaping what it sowed.
On 16 March, militants detonated a truck bomb and fired at Pakistani soldiers at a border checkpost. Five Pakistani soldiers were killed in the truck bombing, and two more were killed in the firing. Six attackers were also killed, according to Pakistan Army, who stated that the attackers used Afghanistan as a base for the attack. A TTP/HGBG-affiliated militant group known as Jaish-e-Fursan-e-Muhammad took responsibility for the attack; Pakistani officials believe the members to be part of the Pakistani Taliban (TTP). Afghanistan led by the Taliban denied that the perpetrators were from their territory. On 17 March 2024, President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari vowed strong retaliation against perpetrators of the attack.
On 18 March, in response to an attack originating from Afghanistan, the Pakistan Air Force carried out airstrikes in AfghanistanâÂÂs eastern border provinces of Khost and Paktika. The Afghan government stated that the strikes killed five women and three children. An Afghan media outlet, citing local sources, also reported the deaths of eight individuals, including five family members of a TTP commander. Pakistan denied this claim, asserting that the operation was intelligence-based and targeted the Hafiz Gul Bahadur militant groupâÂÂa subgroup faction of the Pakistani Taliban. Pakistani officials said the strikes successfully eliminated several militants, including Sehra (known by the alias 'Janan'), a high-value target and senior commander in the Pakistani Taliban.
In response to the airstrikes, AfghanistanâÂÂs Ministry of Defence stated that its forces had targeted Pakistani positions across the border. Mortar fire from the Afghan side reportedly injured more than four civilians and three military personnel in PakistanâÂÂs Kurram District. A Pakistani army captain was killed and two other soldiers were injured in the shelling. Taliban officials did not disclose any casualties on their side; however, local sources in Afghanistan reported the death of one Afghan soldier during the clashes. Skirmishes were also reported in the hilly areas near the Angoor Adda border crossing in South Waziristan, though no casualties were confirmed. In the vicinity of Wana, artillery fire reportedly struck near defensive positions on both sides of the border, but no losses were reported.
On 20 March, separatist militants belonging to Balochistan Liberation Army attacked the Gwadar port complex, which was repelled by Pakistani security forces. The clash killed eight BLA militants and two Pakistani soldiers. The Chief Minister of Balochistan claimed that the BLA attackers came from Afghanistan and were provided shelter by the Afghan government.
On 22 March, a suicide bomber rammed his vehicle into a military convoy passing through Dera Ismail Khan; this attack resulted in the death of two Pakistani soldiers and wounding of 15 others. In response to this attack Pakistan vowed a strong retaliation against terrorism.
On 25 March, Balochistan Liberation Army's Majeed Brigade attacked Pakistan's second largest Naval Base PNS Siddique in Turbat which houses American as well as Chinese aircraft. This attack was foiled by Pakistani Security forces. In this attack, 6 BLA militants were killed by the Frontier Corps outside the perimeter of the base while one Pakistani soldier was killed.
On 26 March, in Shangla District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, a suicide bomber attacked a bus transporting five Chinese laborers and their Pakistani driver on their way to the Dasu Dam, killing all of them. Pakistan police detained more than 12 people, including some Afghan nationals. But the Taliban government in Afghanistan has repeatedly denied giving safe haven to militants.
On 28 March, the National Resistance Front (NRF), claimed responsibility for a series of attacks in Kabul, reporting the deaths of three Taliban members and injuries to five others in two separate incidents. According to the NRF, the first attack targeted a Taliban checkpoint near the Sham-e-Paris Hotel in KabulâÂÂs 4th district, while the second occurred near the Lewa-e-Baba Jan area in the 11th district. The group stated that none of its fighters were harmed. The NRF also claimed to have killed a local Taliban commander, Mawlawi Siddiqullah, and his bodyguard in Baghlan Province on the same day, as well as three Taliban members in KabulâÂÂs Dahan-e-Bagh area on 27 March. The attacks marked renewed activity by the NRF and the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF), both of which had recently intensified operations against Taliban forces across several Afghan provinces.
Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif in an interview to BBC Urdu stated that, "ItâÂÂs correct that we have been carrying out operations in Afghanistan, and we will continue to do so. We wonâÂÂt serve them with cake and pastries. If attacked, weâÂÂll attack back."
On 19 June, Abdul Manan, also known as Hakeemullah, a senior commander of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), was reportedly killed in Asadabad, the capital of Kunar province in eastern Afghanistan. According to Pakistani media, Hakeemullah had previously served with the TTP Malakand Shura and was involved in various militant activities, including targeted killings, checkpoint attacks, landmine explosions, and extortion, as well as training TTP commanders at a madrassa in Sirkanay district.
On 25 June, the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF) and the National Resistance Front (NRF), reported multiple attacks on Taliban forces in Kabul, claiming at least 14 Taliban members were killed or injured. Taliban authorities did not comment on the incidents. Since the TalibanâÂÂs return to power, armed opposition groups, largely composed of former security personnel, have increasingly carried out guerrilla operations, particularly in Kabul and northern provinces. According to a recent UN report, the AFF conducted 14 attacks, all in Kabul, while the NRF carried out 29 attacks across multiple provinces, highlighting the continued activity of anti-Taliban resistance groups.
On 12 August, clashes erupted between Taliban and Pakistani forces near the Torkham border crossing in eastern Nangarhar province, leading to the temporary closure of the border. According to Taliban spokesperson Abdul Matin Qani, Pakistani forces initiated the confrontation by firing on Taliban border personnel, prompting a Taliban response. The exchange involved light and heavy weapons, including artillery, and reportedly resulted in the deaths of three Afghan civilians, including a woman and two children. Pakistani reports suggested the clash began after objections to the TalibanâÂÂs construction of a checkpoint near the border. The incident led to the evacuation of nearby areas and the temporary suspension of border crossings, marketplaces, and government offices.
On 7 September, intense clashes occurred between Taliban forces and Pakistani border troops along the AfghanistanâÂÂPakistan border, particularly near Khost province and the adjoining Kurram district. The fighting reportedly began after Taliban forces attempted to construct a security outpost on the Afghan side, prompting Pakistani troops to open fire. The skirmishes involved heavy weaponry and lasted several hours, resulting in the deaths of at least two Taliban fighters according to pro-Taliban sources, multiple injuries among Taliban and Pakistani forces, and five civilians wounded. The clashes caused damage to homes and infrastructure in the area. This incident marked the second border confrontation in less than a week, following a previous skirmish in Paktia and Khost provinces. Heavy clashes had injured at least five Pakistani soldiers, including an officer while in Pakistan's retaliation at least eight Afghan Taliban fighters were killed including two Taliban Army commanders (Khalil and Jan Muhammad), and 16 others injured in the early hours of 7 September. One soviet-era T-62 tank operated by Afghan Taliban was destroyed by the Pakistani forces.
On 20 September, militant attacks targeted Pakistani security outposts in the northwestern border regions of South and North Waziristan, near the Afghan border. According to Pakistani officials, the predawn clashes resulted in the deaths of at least six Pakistani soldiers and injuries to 14 others, including four described as seriously wounded. Pakistani forces responded, killing 12 militants during the engagements, including seven who were reportedly attempting to infiltrate from the Afghan side. The Pakistani officials state that they recovered a significant quantity of weapons, ammunition, and explosives from the assailants.
On 29 September, a clash occurred between Taliban fighters and Pakistani border forces in Nangarhar province, near the Durand Line, resulting in two Taliban fighters killed and three wounded. The confrontation reportedly began when Taliban forces attempted to construct a structure near the border, which Pakistani troops opposed, and both sides used heavy weaponry. This incident is part of a wider pattern of border tensions, with AfghanistanâÂÂs Security Watch noting at least 45 skirmishes over the past three yearsâÂÂnearly half involving PakistanâÂÂresulting in over 100 fatalities and numerous injuries. Provinces frequently affected include Khost, Paktia, Paktika, Nimroz, and Nangarhar, reflecting the ongoing disputes and strained relations between the Taliban and Pakistan along contested border areas.
On 4 December, four senior Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commanders, including Rahimullah, aka Shahid Umer Bajauri, and commanders Tariq Bajauri, Adnan Bajauri, and Khaksar, were killed in an ambush in Kunar province, Afghanistan. The commanders had been invited to a feast and meetings with local TTP personnel when the attack occurred. Rahimullah, listed by Pakistan as a senior TTP figure with a Rs10 million bounty, was among those killed. According to Pakistani media outlet, the ambush adds to a pattern of high-profile TTP leadership losses in Afghanistan, with over 150 members reportedly killed on Afghan soil.
On 21 December, at least 16 Pakistani soldiers were killed in an attack by the Pakistani Taliban on an outpost in South Waziristan, eight insurgents were also killed in the clash.
On 25 December 2024, the Pakistan Air Force launched precision airstrikes in response to the 21 December attack, on seven locations located across four villages of Barmal District of Afghanistan Paktika province initially claiming to have killing 20-25 terrorists. The villages targeted by PAF included Laman, Margha, and Murg Bazaar. Reports indicate that the Murg Bazaar village in Barmal was completely destroyed. The airstrikes took four High Value Targets (HVTs) that included terrorists camps and hideouts of key commanders, these included the compounds/hideouts in Afghanistan of Mukhlis Yar (known by the alias of Sher Zaman) who was a trainer for suicide bombers, Abu Hamza (known by the alias of Izhar) who was a senior TTP commander and Akhtar Muhammad (known by the alias of Khalil) who was the second-in-command of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group. All of these commanders were using camps for recruitment and training young child suicide bombers and terrorists. The fourth target struck by PAF was the "Umar Media" centre of TTP, being headed by the TTP's commander Shoaib Iqbal (known by the alias of Muneeb Jatt), from where the TTP propagated its digital propaganda. Afghan Taliban's Defence Ministry, the Afghan Taliban regime official spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid confirmed reports of the strike carried out by Pakistani forces, but claimed that the dead and injured included a number of children and other civilians. Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid confirmed reports of the strikes carried out by Pakistani forces but claimed that the dead and injured included a number of children and other civilians; it said that 46 people had been killed, most of whom were children and women, and 6 more people were wounded, mostly children.
This had marked the third round of airstrike launched by Pakistan on Afghanistan since the fall of Kabul in 2021. The airstrikes took place on the birthday of Pakistan's founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah The Afghan Government reported that 46 people had been killed and 6 wounded, with the casualties including children. Five women and children were confirmed casualties as a result of the airstrikes. Afghanistan's foreign office called in Pakistan's top diplomat in Kabul to hand over a formal complaint and cautioned the diplomat about the potential repercussions of such military actions. Enayatullah Khowrazmi, a spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of National Defense said that, "Afghanistan considers this brutal act a blatant violation of all international principles and an obvious act of aggression, The Islamic Emirate will not leave this cowardly act unanswered." Pakistani military sources have anonymously have admitted that airstrikes were carried out by Pakistan originating from inside Pakistani airspace, but later said that drone strikes were involved. This marks the third airstrike launched by Pakistan on Afghanistan since the fall of Kabul in 2021. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said that it had received credible reports of civilians having been killed, including women and children. Pakistan's foreign ministry did not directly comment on the strikes but said the armed forces conducted âÂÂoperations in border areas to protect the people of Pakistan from terrorist groupsâ and further added, âÂÂThese counterterrorism operations are carefully selected and based on accurate intelligenceâÂÂ.
On 26 December, Afghan and Pakistani forces exchanged fire at the border between Dand Aw Patan and Kurram, with no casualties or damage initially reported by either side. On 27 December, Afghan and Pakistani border troops exchanged fire for several hours in Dandaw Pattan. Many civilian homes were damaged by rockets. Two soldiers were killed and 11 were wounded in skirmishes in Bajaur District, heavy casualties were also reported amongst the insurgents.
On 28 December, fighting broke out again as the Afghan Defence Ministry stated to have attacked "several points" across the border with Pakistan. A security source told AFP that one Pakistani paramilitary Frontier Corpsman was killed and seven others were wounded, while 7 to 8 Taliban fighters were reported to have been killed in retaliatory skirmishes. Pakistani security sources reported two incursions and that over 15 TTP militants and Afghan Taliban were killed, and that counter-fire forced the Afghan Taliban to abandon six posts, while only 3 Pakistani border guards were injured in return. TOLOnews reported that five Afghan were killed and three wounded by a Pakistani mortar shell fired during the clashes. Pakistan security forces released videos purportedly showing several Afghan border posts being attacked by the Pakistani forces.
On 29 December, an explosion targeted the Taliban Ministry of Interior Affairs in Kabul, killing 10 Taliban fighters and wounding five more. The National Resistance Front of Afghanistan claimed responsibility, and said that a Taliban commander was killed and three military vehicles destroyed.
On 30 December, 15,000 Taliban troops were deployed to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in response to the ongoing skirmishes. The force included multiple battalion level units armed with Soviet-era Tanks and Humvees left following the American withdrawal from Afghanistan. Afghan forces also claimed to have conducted Artillery strikes and reported skirmishes with Pakistan on 30 December. Pakistani Taliban released a video showing the capture of border post in Bajaur District on 30 December, the post was already vacated and Pakistani forces claimed that the troops were already transferred from that post to newer more fortified posts along the border.
On 31 December, reports claimed that Pakistani military had entered Wakhan corridor and was preparing to seize the region, but the local Taliban sources denied Pakistani presence in the region.
On 1 January, an MPA of the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf, Anwar Zaib Khan, claimed that 400 militants from Afghanistan had seized five border posts along the border in Bajaur District, raising the flags of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and began fortifying their newly acquired positions and that the local residents began fleeing the area expecting an imminent large scale operation by the Pakistan Armed Forces. The Pakistan Armed Forces had asked the local residents of the Mulla Saeed Banda area in the Salarzai tehsil and the Mamund tehsil of the Bajaur district to evacuate, in order to allow for a clearance operation to be conducted.
On 2 January, Pakistan stated that the Afghan Taliban government had demanded PKR 10 Billion for the removal and transfer of Pakistani Taliban and their forces away from the border regions, but the Afghan Government denied this. Limited light skirmishes between the two sides continued.
On 3 January, a projectile from Pakistan targeted Taliban urban positions in Alisher area of Khost province, destroying a guest room connected to a house. Skirmishes between both sides at the border were reported by local sources. According to Afghan media, around 1:30 AM, Pakistani forces fired rockets at Taliban positions, and the Afghan army retaliated with heavy artillery. The situation reportedly calmed just before dawn. At least three villages in Afghanistan Airukam, Kaga, and Garab were reportedly hit by Pakistani mortar strikes. On the night of 3 January 2025, Afghan Taliban and Pakistani Taliban launched joint raids targeting Pakistani Border Posts, in the Spinwam area of North Waziristan.
On 6 January, an RPG fired by Afghan Taliban struck a football field in North Waziristan during an ongoing match, three players were wounded.
On 7 January, three Pakistani soldiers and 19 insurgents were killed in raids conducted by the military in northwest areas bordering Afghanistan. On 7 January 2025, a mortar shell launched from Afghanistan struck Mohmand District in Pakistan, no casualties was reported.
On 9 January, Pakistani attack helicopters struck Bajaur district in the areas where the border posts had been occupied by the TTP.
On 10 January, An Afghan Taliban soldier was killed and two others severely were wounded when a Pakistani mortar hit an afghan bunker during skirmishes and exchanges of fire. Pakistani forces also launched rockets into Afghanistan's Kunar province, killing 10 livestock animals. The exchange included over 50 rounds of rockets and shells. On the Pakistani side, officials confirmed that mortars were fired into their territory, targeting adjacent districts of Mohmand and Bajaur. No loss of property or lives were reported on the Pakistani side.
On the night of 18âÂÂ19 January, Pakistani forces killed five Pakistani Taliban insurgents attempting to infiltrate Pakistan's Zhob District from Afghanistan.
On 23 January, the Afghan Taliban claimed that "terrorists" affiliated with the National Resistance Front (NRF) were being deployed by Pakistan to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan in order to conduct attacks inside Afghanistan. On that same day, six more TTP insurgents who were attempting to infiltrate the border, were killed by Pakistani forces in Zhob District.
From 3 February, sporadic small scale clashes between Pakistani and Afghan forces were reported in Bahram Chah district of Helmand province, prompting Afghanistan to evacuate civilians from the area. Both sides reinforced their positions and Taliban started blocking roads in the area. The 205th Al-Badr Corps was deployed by Taliban to reinforce the region.
On 16 February, a senior commander of the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar faction of the Pakistani Taliban was wounded as his vehicle was intercepted near the border. On the same day, there was a confrontation between Pakistan and Afghanistan border forces on Torkham border crossing from both sides, firing on both sides started between Khyber District and the corresponding Nangarhar province as well as Mohmand District and the corresponding Kunar province, officials on both sides confirmed no casualties.
On 18 February, two Pakistani soldiers were killed in a skirmish with Afghan Taliban forces in Mohmand District.
On 20 February, a Pakistani soldier was wounded during skirmishes with Afghan forces on the Ghakhi Pass border post in Bajaur District.
Between 2âÂÂ3 March, Pakistan's Frontier Corps and Afghanistan's Taliban border guards exchanged fire. On 2 March, TalibanâÂÂs Ministry of Interior confirmed that one of their border forces was killed and two others were wounded in an exchange of fire on Sunday night. Clashes resumed on 3 March, and according to sources, at least three Pakistani soldiers were injured, while three Taliban members were killed. The exchange of firing left a civilian injured on the Pakistani side of the border.
On March 3âÂÂ4, clashes erupted once again, with Pakistan reporting that the Taliban was constructing a post on Pakistani soil. The border crossing was shut and a clash ensued, a Taliban soldier was killed and two Taliban soldiers were injured, while 4 Pakistani FC personnel were injured.
On 7 March, Pakistan claimed to have captured four insurgents that had crossed into Balochistan after crossing the border from Afghanistan.
On the night of 22 and 23 March, dozens of TTP militants attempted to infiltrate through the Pakistan-Afghanistan border at the town of Ghulam Khan Kallay, North Waziristan. Paramilitary border guards of Frontier Corps, foiled the attempt, by killing 16 TTP members, while seizing large amounts of weapons, ammunition and explosives.
Between night of 5-6 April a group of eight TTP militants belonging were killed by the Frontier Corps of Pakistan while attempting to cross on the AfghanistanâÂÂPakistan border barrier. The clash also left four other fleeing militants critically injured. No loss of life or material was reported on the Pakistani side.
On 10 April, an explosion in KandaharâÂÂs Aino Mina neighbourhood reportedly killed 12 members of Pakistani militant groups, including the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) and the TTP, and wounded five others, according to local sources. The blast occurred as militants were leaving a gathering, but Taliban officials denied any airstrike, attributing the explosion to old or decaying munitions stored near the anti-narcotics department. Residents reported hearing a powerful blast followed by gunfire, and Taliban emergency crews responded to contain the incident. While casualties among Taliban guards were acknowledged, the exact number was not disclosed, and Taliban spokespeople maintained that no foreign attack had taken place.
Pakistan border guards of the paramilitary Frontier Corps and soldiers of the Pakistan Army killed 54 terrorists attempting to infiltrate through the Pakistan-Afghanistan border near the Bibak Ghar area in Hassan Khel Tehsil (revenue unit) of North Waziristan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on April 27, according to reports by Dawn. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), this was the highest-ever number of terrorists killed by paramilitary forces in a single engagement throughout the campaign against terrorism. âÂÂOn night 25/26 and 26/27 April 2025, [the] movement of a large group of Khwarij, who were trying to infiltrate through Pakistan-Afghanistan border, was detected by the security forces in [the] general area [of] Hassan Khel, North Waziristan District. [Our] own troops effectively engaged and thwarted their attempt to infiltrate. As a result of precise and skilful engagement, all fifty-four khawarijis have been sent to hell.â the statement added. A large cache of weapons, ammunition and explosives was also recovered from the slain terrorists. The Inter-Services Public Relations added further that the death toll in Security Forcesâ action on infiltrating terrorists on April 27, climbed up to 71 as 17 more dead bodies of terrorists were recovered on April 28.
On 27 August, multiple Afghan media sources reported Pakistani drone strikes in Kunar, Nangarhar and Khost provinces of Afghanistan. Afghanistan media claimed Pakistani drones hit the TTP. As per Afghan media, the first strike hit Surkakh village in Spera District, Khost province, an area known to host terrorists of the Pakistani Taliban and Gul Bahadur Group which regularly carry out massacres of Pakistani civilians across the AfghanistanâÂÂPakistan border. Local sources state strikes also resulted in the casualties of two children while six others wounded. A second strike struck a house belonging to a man named Shahsawar in Viala village of Shinwar District, Nangarhar province. The house was hit twice, leaving two children missing and two others wounded, who were taken to hospital. Residents also reported multiple explosions in three districts of Kunar province including Marawara, Sarkano and Dangam, all of which border Pakistan and considered to be hotbed of Afghanistan-based TTP terrorists. Viala village of Shinwar District is also famous hotbed and refuge of TTP terrorists. In response, the Taliban summoned PakistanâÂÂs ambassador in Kabul and handed him a formal letter of protest. Pakistan did not comment or claimed responsibility for the drone attacks.
On 3 October, a Taliban member, Zarin Khan from LaghmanâÂÂs Gharghai district, was killed in clashes with Pakistani forces along the eastern Kunar province border, an Afghan media outlet reported. The fighting began early Thursday in Nari district and continued intermittently until 8 a.m. Friday, forcing around 20 Afghan families to flee the area.
On 11 October 2025, in response to the Pakistani airstrikes, Afghanistan has reinforced its border with Pakistan with fire being exchanged on both sides. Afghan forces attacked multiple border posts and claimed to have captured two posts in Helmand Province while Pakistani forces claimed to have retaliated with artillery strikes at four locations, as well as by tanks and both light and heavy weaponry. On the same day, six civilians were injured when mortar rounds fired from the Pakistani side struck residential homes.
From 11 to 19 October, a large-scale conflict erupted between Afghan and Pakistani troops on the border after Pakistani airstrikes on TTP targets in Kabul triggered Taliban retaliation. This conflict was the largest since the Taliban came to power in 2021. After mediation by Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, the two sides announced a ceasefire ten days later. As per the agreement, the Afghan government agreed to cease support for groups that carry out attacks against Pakistan, notably the Pakistani Taliban, while both sides would "refrain from targeting each otherâÂÂs security forces, civilians, or critical infrastructure."
On 15 October, in Spin Boldak, at least seven civilians were killed and 30 wounded. The youngest victim was three months old. In Kabul's PD4 district, two explosions struck a residential area, killing at least nine people and injuring at least 37 others. Witnesses stated that rockets struck an oil tanker and nearby homes, causing widespread destruction. Residents reported hearing aircraft or drones overhead.
On 30 October, Qari Amjad, the deputy leader of the Pakistani Taliban, was killed while attempting to cross into the Bajaur District of Pakistan from Afghanistan, as per Pakistani officials. Three other members of the group, including a commander, were also killed in the operation. The Pakistani Taliban confirmed his death but did not provide details about the circumstances of the killing.
On 7 November, a clash broke out between Afghan Taliban forces and Pakistani border forces at the Chaman-Spin Boldak crossing, with both sides accusing each other of initiating the conflict amid peace negotiations between both sides. The Afghan Taliban spokesman, while blaming Pakistani border forces for firing first, stated that Taliban fighters refrained from responding to the gunfire to respect the ongoing talks in Istanbul. At least five people were killed and six others were injured on the Afghan side, while no casualties were reported from the Pakistani side. Some eyewitnesses in Afghanistan claimed that Pakistani fighter jets bombed areas inside Afghan territory during the clash. Following the clashes, the negotiations between the two sides reportedly deadlocked.
The Pakistani interior minister Mohsin Naqvi said that Afghan nationals had carried out the November 2025 suicide bombing in Islamabad, which killed 12 people and injured many others, further adding that the attack was allegedly planned and directed from Afghanistan by Jamaat-ul-Ahrar.
On 25 November, Afghan authorities reported that at least nine children and a woman were killed in Khost province after what the Taliban administration described as a Pakistani air strike on a civilian home in the Gurbuz district. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated that the attack, reported at midnight, destroyed the residence of a local man, Waliat Khan, and that additional strikes in Kunar and Paktika provinces wounded at least four civilians. Taliban vowed "appropriate response" in the future.
On 4 December, Pakistani border forces shot dead three laborers who were crossing the border around the Paktika province.
On 5 December, a clash broke out between border troops of Pakistan and Afghanistan along Spin BoldakâÂÂChaman border crossing, with both countries accusing each other of initiating the clash. According to local Afghan sources, the clash left 2 Taliban fighters and 4 Afghan civilians dead. Taliban officials confirmed death of Afghan civilians but did not comment on the death of its fighters. The clash between the two countries also injured 4 Afghan and 3 Pakistani civilians. The clash also forced many Afghan civilians to flee Spin Boldak overnight and seek refugee in other areas.
According to UNAMA, at least 70 civilians were killed and 478 injured in Afghanistan between October and December 2025. The Taliban administration stated that the findings were "close to reality."
On 21 February 2026, Pakistan carried out airstrikes on alleged training camps operated by Pakistani Taliban and ISISâÂÂK in eastern Afghanistan. On 26 February, Pakistani authorities reported that Afghan forces fired into northwestern Pakistan for two hours during the evening. Both sides claimed to have conducted cross-border raids to capture or destroy each other's outposts. Afghan Taliban officials confirmed that the assault was in response to the Pakistani airstrikes.