{"id":13135,"date":"2026-02-23T10:05:49","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T10:05:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=13135"},"modified":"2026-02-23T10:05:49","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T10:05:49","slug":"pakistan-claims-at-least-70-fighters-killed-in-strikes-along-afghan-border-pakistan-taliban-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/?p=13135","title":{"rendered":"Pakistan claims at least 70 fighters killed in strikes along Afghan border | Pakistan Taliban News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<p class=\"article__subhead\"><em>Afghan officials deny claims, as they accuse Pakistan of targeting civilians and violating its sovereignty in Sunday\u2019s border air raids.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div><button class=\"article-listen-container\" aria-labelledby=\"listen-text listen-duration\" data-testid=\"listen-to-article-button\"><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"article-listen-container__text\" data-testid=\"listen-to-article-text\">Listen to this article<\/span><span aria-hidden=\"true\">\u00a0|\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"article-listen-container__duration\">4 mins<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/button><button tabindex=\"0\" class=\"tooltip-accessible_trigger\"><svg class=\"icon icon--info icon--main-grey-dark icon--16 listen-to-article-tooltip__icon\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\"><title>info<\/title><path class=\"icon-main-color\" d=\"M12 0a12 12 0 1 0 0 24 12 12 0 0 0 0-24Zm-.226 3.225a2.039 2.039 0 0 1 2.155 1.924v.193a1.998 1.998 0 0 1-2.155 2.149 2.029 2.029 0 0 1-2.146-2.15 2.039 2.039 0 0 1 1.955-2.122h.193l-.002.006Zm3.227 15.525a.75.75 0 0 1-.752.75H9.75a.75.75 0 0 1-.75-.75v-1.5a.75.75 0 0 1 .752-.75h.748V12h-.75a.75.75 0 0 1-.75-.75v-1.5a.75.75 0 0 1 .752-.751h3a.75.75 0 0 1 .75.752v6.75h.75a.75.75 0 0 1 .75.749L15 18.75Z\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-dates\">\n<p><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Published On 23 Feb 2026<\/span><span aria-hidden=\"true\">23 Feb 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"rich-share\" data-testid=\"rich-share\">\n<div class=\"rich-share__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"rich-share__button-wrapper\"><button class=\"rich-share__button row\" aria-expanded=\"false\"><\/p>\n<p>Click here to share on social media<\/p>\n<p><svg class=\"icon icon--share2 icon--primary icon--16 \" viewbox=\"0 0 20 16\" version=\"1.1\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><title>share2<\/title><path fill=\"#000\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M11.688 9.048c-.659 0-1.252.282-1.673.733l-4.92-2.45c.016-.115.028-.232.028-.352 0-.117-.011-.23-.027-.343l4.913-2.423a2.285 2.285 0 0 0 1.68.739C12.964 4.952 14 3.899 14 2.6 14 1.302 12.965.25 11.688.25S9.377 1.302 9.377 2.601c0 .117.01.23.027.343L4.49 5.367a2.285 2.285 0 0 0-1.68-.739C1.536 4.628.5 5.681.5 6.979c0 1.299 1.035 2.35 2.312 2.35.659 0 1.252-.281 1.673-.731l4.92 2.45a2.357 2.357 0 0 0-.029.351c0 1.299 1.035 2.351 2.312 2.351S14 12.698 14 11.399s-1.035-2.35-2.312-2.35Z\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/p>\n<p class=\"rich-share__social-text\">Share<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div aria-live=\"polite\" aria-atomic=\"true\">\n<p>A senior Pakistani government official has claimed that its military killed at least 70 fighters in air raids along the border with Afghanistan, claims Kabul has denied, amid escalating tensions between the two South Asian neighbours.<\/p>\n<p>Talal Chaudhry, Pakistan\u2019s deputy interior minister, offered no evidence for his claim in an interview with Geo News on Sunday evening that at least 70 rebels were killed in the attack. Pakistan\u2019s state media reported that the death toll had jumped to 80; however, there was no official confirmation.<\/p>\n<section class=\"more-on\">\n<h2 class=\"more-on__heading\">Recommended Stories<!-- --> <\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">list of 3 items<\/span><span class=\"screen-reader-text\">end of list<\/span><\/section>\n<p>Pakistan\u2019s military carried out the air raids early on Sunday, targeting what it called \u201ccamps and hideouts\u201d belonging to armed groups behind a spate of recent attacks, including a deadly suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in the capital, Islamabad.<\/p>\n<p>The country\u2019s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar wrote on X that the military conducted \u201cintelligence-based, selective operations\u201d against seven camps belonging to the Pakistan Taliban group, known by the acronym TTP, and its affiliates.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_4331445\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4331445\" style=\"width:770px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-arc-image-770 wp-image-4331445\" src=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/afp_699bef38365a-1771827000.jpg?w=770&amp;resize=770%2C513&amp;quality=80\" alt=\"Taliban security personnel and residents search for victims after an overnight Pakistani air strike hit a residential area at the Girdi Kas village in Bihsud district, Nangarhar province on February 22, 2026.\" fetchpriority=\"low\"\/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-4331445\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Taliban security personnel and residents search for victims after overnight Pakistani air raids on a residential area in Girdi Kas village in Bihsud district, Nangarhar province, on February 22, 2026 [AFP]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Tarar said Pakistan \u201chas always strived to maintain peace and stability in the region\u201d, but added that the safety and security of Pakistani citizens remained a top priority.<\/p>\n<p>President Asif Ali Zardari said late on Sunday that Pakistan\u2019s recent attacks along the Afghan border were \u201crooted in [its] inherent right to defend its people against terrorism\u201d after repeated warnings to Kabul went unheeded.<\/p>\n<p>The attacks threaten a fragile ceasefire between the South Asian neighbours, negotiated following deadly border clashes that killed dozens of soldiers, civilians and suspected fighters in October last year.<\/p>\n<p>Pakistan said it has repeatedly urged Afghanistan\u2019s Taliban government to take action to prevent armed groups from using Afghan territory to launch attacks, but that Kabul has failed to \u201cundertake any substantive action\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Afghanistan has rejected Pakistani allegations that its territory is used by armed groups linked to attacks in Pakistan.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"afghanistan-denies-claims\">Afghanistan denies claims<\/h2>\n<p>The Afghan Ministry of Defence said in a statement that \u201cvarious civilian areas\u201d in the eastern provinces of Nangarhar and Paktika were hit, including a religious school and several homes. The statement called the attacks a violation of Afghanistan\u2019s airspace and sovereignty.<\/p>\n<p>Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said \u201cpeople\u2019s homes have been destroyed, they have targeted civilians, they have committed this criminal act\u201d with the bombardment of the two eastern provinces.<\/p>\n<p>Residents from around the remote Bihsud district in Nangarhar joined searchers to look for bodies under the rubble using shovels and a digger, the AFP news agency reported.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople here are ordinary people. The residents of this village are our relatives. When the bombing happened, one person who survived was shouting for help,\u201d resident Amin Gul Amin, 37, told AFP.<\/p>\n<p>Spokesperson Mujahid also said Pakistan\u2019s claim of killing 70 fighters was \u201cinaccurate\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Mawlawi Fazl Rahman Fayyaz, the provincial director of the Afghan Red Crescent Society in Nangarhar province, said 18 people were killed and several others were wounded.<\/p>\n<p>Afghanistan\u2019s Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Pakistan\u2019s ambassador in Kabul to protest against the attacks.<\/p>\n<p>In a statement, the ministry said protecting Afghanistan\u2019s territory is its \u201cSharia responsibility\u201d, warning that Pakistan would be held responsible for the consequences of such attacks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Afghan officials deny claims, as they accuse Pakistan of targeting civilians and violating its sovereignty in Sunday\u2019s border air raids. Listen to this article\u00a0|\u00a04 mins info Published On 23 Feb 202623 Feb 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share A senior Pakistani government official has claimed that its military killed at least [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13136,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13135","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-asia-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13135","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=13135"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13135\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/13136"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=13135"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=13135"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/inernews.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=13135"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}