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ConflictsAfghanistan

Tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan escalate

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Ana Shorter
February 22, 2026

Despite a ceasefire agreed by Pakistan and Afghanistan last October, dozens of Afghan civilians have been killed or wounded in Pakistani airstrikes. Pakistan says it targeted militant hideouts along the border.

Mourners in Afghanistan’s remote Bihsud region bury dozens of civilians after airstrikes residents say were carried out by Pakistani jets. Relatives insist the victims were ordinary families, as a UN report links more than 70 civilian deaths to recent attacks. Pakistan says it targeted militant groups, while the Taliban denies harboring them and vows a response. Regional ceasefire efforts have failed, leaving civilians to suffer.

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