Pakistan and Afghanistan have entered a sharper phase of confrontation, with repeated Pakistani air and drone strikes inside Afghanistan following attacks on Pakistani security forces. The immediate dispute centres on Pakistan’s allegations that groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Ittihadul Mujahideen Pakistan (IMP) operate from Afghan territory. However, the tensions are also linked to deeper disputes involving the Durand Line, trade and transit, Pakistan's influence in Afghanistan, and Afghanistan’s relations with India.

Why in the News?

Pakistan and Afghanistan have seen a fresh escalation in tensions following cross-border strikes and militant attacks. The latest developments have increased concerns about security along the border and the wider regional impact of the confrontation.

  • Pakistan carried out air and drone strikes on 10 locations inside Afghanistan on September 24, 2026.
  • The strikes reportedly targeted Kandahar, Khost and Paktia.
  • Kandahar is the base of Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada.
  • Pakistan described the strikes as “deliberate, precise, calibrated and proportionate.”
  • The action followed Pakistani claims that drones launched from Afghanistan had entered Pakistani territory.
  • Earlier, on September 21, Pakistani strikes on Kunar and Paktika killed three civilians.
  • The latest escalation follows months of growing tensions between Islamabad and Kabul.

Recent Escalation

The current confrontation follows a series of militant attacks and Pakistani military responses. The recent events show how attacks inside Pakistan have increasingly become connected with Pakistan's actions across the Afghan border.

  • On September 18, 2026, a vehicle-borne explosive device attacked a police compound in Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
  • At least 16 police officers were killed.
  • The attack was followed by an armed assault.
  • Ittihadul Mujahideen Pakistan (IMP) claimed responsibility.
  • Pakistani authorities identified one attacker as an Afghan national.
  • Pakistan has carried out air and drone strikes inside Afghanistan on at least 15 occasions between October 2025 and September 2026.

Background to the Current Escalation

The present confrontation has roots in the escalation that began in February 2026. Relations between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban have become more difficult as both sides have exchanged accusations over cross-border attacks.

Operation Ghazab lil-Haq

On February 27, 2026, Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, meaning “Righteous fury,” against the Taliban in Afghanistan. Pakistan cited alleged cross-border firing as the reason.

  • Pakistan cited alleged cross-border firing as the reason.
  • The operation marked a major deterioration in relations between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban.
  • Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif described the situation as an “open war” between the two sides.
  • Pakistan also accused Kabul of providing shelter to militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan.

Terrorism Situation Inside Pakistan

Pakistan continues to face significant militant violence, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The region has remained a major area of concern because of attacks on security personnel and other targets.

  • During 2026, nearly 1,700 civilians and security personnel have been killed in terrorism-related incidents in Pakistan.
  • Around 545 deaths have occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
  • The TTP and IMP operate prominently in the region.
  • Pakistan argues that the presence of these groups in Afghanistan has made cross-border militant activity a major security challenge.

Militant Groups Involved

Several militant groups are part of the security dispute between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The TTP is the most prominent group mentioned by Pakistan in relation to attacks originating from the Afghan side.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan

  • The TTP is one of the principal militant groups involved in attacks against Pakistan.
  • Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban of allowing TTP fighters to operate from Afghan territory.
  • The Afghan Taliban has repeatedly denied supporting attacks against Pakistan.
  • A UN monitoring report released in August 2026 stated that the Afghan Taliban had continued its support for the TTP.

Hafiz Gul Bahadar and IMP

  • The Hafiz Gul Bahadar (HGB) group has also become an important militant actor.
  • HGB previously focused largely on fighting U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan.
  • After 2021, it increasingly directed attacks towards Pakistan.
  • It is linked with Ittihadul Mujahideen Pakistan (IMP).
  • Despite being smaller than the TTP, HGB and IMP have carried out complex attacks against security installations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Taliban’s Response

The Taliban has publicly denied supporting attacks against Pakistan. At the same time, reports have indicated that Taliban authorities have taken some steps regarding TTP fighters. However, according to the UN monitoring report:

  • Afghan Taliban authorities reportedly relocated around 2,000 TTP fighters and their families away from the Pakistani border.
  • Hibatullah Akhundzada reportedly warned TTP leaders through back-channel communications to stop attacks against Pakistan.
  • The report suggested that the Taliban could withdraw support if attacks continued.
  • It remains unclear whether similar efforts were made regarding IMP.

The Taliban also has its own political and strategic interests. The Rahbari Shura, or leadership council, remains an important centre of authority under Hibatullah Akhundzada. Pakistan’s military pressure could therefore have mixed consequences:

  • It may increase pressure on the Taliban to act against the TTP.
  • It may also strengthen anti-Pakistan sentiment.
  • It could encourage greater Afghan nationalism.
  • It may reduce Islamabad’s ability to influence Kabul.

Civilian Impact

Pakistan’s military operations have also caused civilian casualties inside Afghanistan. Reports of civilian deaths have added another sensitive issue to the dispute between the two countries.

  • On September 21, 2026, Pakistani air strikes in Kunar and Paktika killed three civilians.
  • The victims included a man, a woman, and a girl.
  • The deaths were confirmed by UNAMA.
  • Pakistan claimed that 28 militants were killed.
  • The civilian deaths triggered protests in Kabul and other parts of Afghanistan.
  • Private estimates cited in the given material suggest that more than 1,100 civilians have been killed or injured by cross-border violence in Afghanistan in 2026.

The Durand Line Dispute

The Durand Line is one of the oldest sources of tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The dispute is closely connected with the history of the region and the division of Pashtun tribal areas.

  • The boundary was drawn in 1893 by Sir Mortimer Durand.
  • It divided territories associated with Afghan ruler Amir Abdul Rehman Khan.
  • The boundary divided several Pashtun tribal areas.
  • British India later treated it as a permanent boundary.
  • Pakistan inherited this position after independence in 1947.
  • Afghanistan has historically rejected Pakistan’s interpretation of the line as a final international border.
  • The dispute continues to influence border security and political relations.

Durand Line and Pashtun Areas

The Durand Line divides communities with shared Pashtun cultural and tribal links, creating additional political sensitivities.

  • Afghanistan has historically opposed the final status of the boundary.
  • Pakistan considers it its international border.
  • The issue has remained unresolved despite repeated political changes in both countries.
  • In 2018, Afghanistan objected to Pakistan’s integration of its former Tribal Areas into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Trade and Transit

Trade and connectivity are another major source of disagreement.

Afghanistan is landlocked and depends on neighbouring countries for access to international markets. Its major transit routes include:

  • Pakistan
  • Iran
  • Central Asian countries

The route through Pakistan has traditionally been important because of its geographical proximity.

India-Afghanistan Trade Connectivity

India-Afghanistan trade is another issue that has influenced Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. Afghanistan has sought access to Indian markets, while Pakistan has imposed restrictions on regular overland movement through its territory.

  • Afghanistan has repeatedly sought greater access to Indian markets through Pakistan.
  • Successive Afghan governments sought permission for overland trade between India and Afghanistan through the Wagah border.
  • Pakistan has not allowed regular Indian exports and aid to Afghanistan through its territory.
  • This has contributed to resentment in Kabul.
  • Restrictions on goods entering Afghanistan through land routes or Karachi port have also increased tensions.
  • Thus, trade and transit have become important elements of the wider strategic relationship.

The India Factor

India’s engagement with Afghanistan has also influenced Pakistan’s strategic calculations. Pakistan has historically viewed Afghanistan through the lens of its own security concerns and relationship with India.

  • Pakistan has traditionally been concerned about the possibility of strategic pressure from India and Afghanistan simultaneously.
  • Islamabad has sought to limit Kabul’s strategic relationship with New Delhi.
  • Afghan governments have generally resisted external control over their foreign policy.
  • The Taliban’s growing outreach to India has added another layer to Pakistan’s concerns.
  • Pakistan views closer Taliban-India engagement as a challenge to its traditional influence in Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s Possible Strategic Objectives

Pakistan’s recent actions can be understood in the context of several security and strategic concerns. These include reducing militant attacks, securing the western border, and influencing the Taliban’s approach towards groups operating from Afghanistan.

  • Reduce attacks by the TTP and IMP.
  • Pressure the Taliban to act against militant groups.
  • Secure Pakistan’s western border.
  • Seek greater influence in Kabul.
  • Limit support for groups hostile to Pakistan.
  • Maintain strategic influence over Afghanistan.

The current approach therefore extends beyond individual military strikes and is connected with Pakistan’s broader Afghan policy.

Strategic Blowback

Pakistan’s approach also carries the risk of unintended security consequences. The military action process across the border can affect public opinion and relations with the Afghan authorities.

  • Groups that were once useful to Pakistan in the Afghan conflict have become sources of security problems for Islamabad.
  • The TTP has intensified attacks inside Pakistan.
  • HGB and IMP have also targeted Pakistani security forces.
  • Pakistani military action inside Afghanistan has not eliminated these groups.
  • Civilian casualties have increased anti-Pakistan sentiment.
  • Continued strikes could further strengthen Afghan resistance to Pakistani demands.

Major Challenges

The Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict presents several interconnected security, political and economic issues. These issues make it difficult to separate the immediate militant threat from the wider relationship between the two countries.

  • Cross-border terrorism: Pakistan faces attacks from groups operating around the Afghanistan border.
  • Civilian casualties: Air strikes have resulted in civilian deaths and protests.
  • Durand Line dispute: The unresolved border issue continues to affect bilateral relations.
  • Taliban resistance: Kabul has its own strategic interests and does not necessarily accept Pakistani demands.
  • Trade restrictions: Transit routes can become instruments of political pressure.
  • India factor: Taliban-India engagement adds another layer to Pakistan’s security concerns.
  • Militant networks: Military strikes alone have not eliminated groups such as the TTP.
  • Regional instability: Continued confrontation could further destabilise the Afghanistan-Pakistan border region.

Historical Background of Pakistan-Afghanistan Relations

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been marked by distrust and recurring tensions since 1947. The relationship has been influenced by border disputes, political developments, and the security situation in both countries.

  • Durand Line dispute
  • Afghan concerns over Pakistani influence
  • Trade and transit restrictions
  • Pakistan’s support for Afghan resistance groups
  • Afghanistan’s relations with India
  • Cross-border militant activity

The relationship remained complicated during major conflicts in Afghanistan, including the Soviet intervention (1979–1989) and the U.S. intervention (2001–2021).

Regime Changes in Afghanistan

Afghanistan has experienced repeated political changes that have shaped its relationship with Pakistan. Each major political phase has affected the regional security environment and Pakistan’s approach towards Afghanistan.

End of Monarchy and Communist Rule

  • Afghanistan’s monarchy ended in 1973.
  • A nationalist phase followed.
  • Communist rule then continued for around 11 years.
  • The Soviet Union supported the communist government.

Najibullah and Collapse

  • After the Soviet withdrawal, President Najibullah led the government.
  • His government collapsed in 1992.
  • Afghanistan then entered a period of internal conflict.

Civil War and First Taliban Rule

  • Afghanistan descended into civil war among different Mujahideen factions.
  • The Taliban emerged in 1994.
  • With Pakistani support, the Taliban captured Kabul in 1996.
  • It controlled most of Afghanistan until 2001.

U.S. Intervention and Islamic Republic

  • Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, the U.S. invaded Afghanistan.
  • The Taliban government was removed.
  • The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan was established.
  • The Taliban later launched a prolonged insurgency.

Taliban Return to Power

  • The U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021.
  • The Taliban rapidly defeated Afghan government forces.
  • The Taliban returned to power and re-established their rule over Afghanistan.

Conclusion

The latest Pakistan-Afghanistan confrontation is linked to more than recent militant attacks. It reflects deeper issues involving cross-border militancy, the Durand Line, trade and transit, political influence and competing strategic interests. Pakistan is seeking to address attacks by groups such as the TTP and IMP, while the Afghan Taliban has resisted Pakistani pressure and denied supporting attacks against Pakistan. At the same time, military escalation has resulted in civilian casualties and increased tensions between the two sides.