Key Points:
- Pakistan conducts precision airstrikes on seven militant camps along the Afghan border.
- Targets included hideouts linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and ISIS-K.
- Islamabad says strikes were in response to recent suicide bombings in Islamabad, Bajaur and Bannu.
- Pakistan claims militants were operating under Afghanistan-based leadership.
- Tensions rise as Islamabad urges Kabul to prevent use of Afghan territory for cross-border attacks
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has carried out intelligence-based “precision strikes” on seven militant camps along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, targeting hideouts linked to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic State’s regional affiliate, officials said on Sunday.
According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the operation was conducted in response to a series of recent suicide bombings in Islamabad, Bajaur and Bannu during the holy month of Ramadan.
The government described the strikes as a “retributive response” carried out with “precision and accuracy” against camps belonging to what it refers to as Fitna al Khawarij (a state-designated term for the TTP), its affiliates and the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISIS-K).
Press Release
21 February, 2026In the aftermath of recent suicide bombing incidents in Pakistan, including Imam Bargah at Islamabad, one each in Bajaur and Bannu followed by another incident today in Bannu during the holy month of Ramzan, Pakistan has conclusive evidence that…
— Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (@MoIB_Official) February 21, 2026
In its statement, Islamabad said it possessed “conclusive evidence” that the suicide attacks were orchestrated by militants acting on the direction of Afghanistan-based leadership and handlers. It added that responsibility for the attacks had been claimed by Afghanistan-based factions of the TTP and ISIS-K.
Pakistani officials said the targeted camps were located in border regions across from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Afghan media reported explosions in the Bermal area of Paktika province, as well as in districts of Nangarhar province, including Khogyani, Ghani Khel and Behsud. The number of casualties from the airstrikes has not been independently confirmed.
The strikes followed a security operation in Bannu district, where Pakistani forces said they killed five militants, including a suspected suicide bomber.
According to the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the militants rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a security convoy during the operation. A lieutenant colonel and a soldier embraced martyrdom in the attack.
Earlier this month, 11 security personnel were killed in a vehicle-borne suicide attack on a joint security post in Bajaur district near the Afghan border. Pakistan has stated with evidence that cross-border militant networks were behind the assault.
Since the return to power of the Taliban in Kabul in August 2021, Pakistan has reported a marked increase in militant violence in its western provinces, particularly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
Islamabad has repeatedly called on Afghan authorities to dismantle what it describes as terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil, especially those linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
The Pakistani government said that despite repeated requests, Afghan authorities had failed to take “verifiable measures” to prevent militant groups from using Afghan territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan.
It urged the interim Afghan government to fulfill its obligations under the 2020 Doha Agreement, which includes commitments to prevent the use of Afghan soil against other countries.
“Pakistan has always strived for peace and stability in the region,” the statement said, “but the safety and security of our citizens remains our top priority.”
The latest escalation highlights ongoing tensions between Islamabad and Kabul amid a resurgence of cross-border militancy and growing regional security concerns.
