Taliban summons Pakistan's ambassador over airstrikes, accuses Islamabad of bombing 'civilian areas'

The Taliban’s Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday (February 22) that it had summoned the Pakistani ambassador to Kabul in response to overnight airstrikes conducted by Pakistan in eastern Afghanistan. The ministry condemned the strikes, claiming they violated Afghanistan's airspace and targeted civilian areas in Nangarhar and Paktika provinces.

The Taliban labeled the airstrikes as a ‘provocative act’ and a clear breach of Afghanistan's territorial integrity, warning that Pakistan would bear responsibility for the consequences.

The Ministry emphasised that defending Afghanistan’s sovereignty was a religious duty and accused Pakistan’s military of intentionally targeting civilians. Taliban officials reported that at least 20 people were killed in the Behsud district of Nangarhar, although Pakistan’s officials insisted that their strikes were aimed at militant hideouts, including those of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Daesh’s Khorasan faction.

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The airstrikes occurred amid rising tensions between Kabul and Islamabad, with Pakistan accusing Afghanistan-based militants of launching attacks on Pakistani soil, a claim the Taliban denies. Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid also condemned the strikes, which he said hit a religious school and several homes, resulting in numerous casualties, including women and children.

The Afghan Ministry of National Defence declared that protecting the country’s sovereignty and security was its national responsibility and warned of a calculated response at the right time. Pakistan’s military spokesperson, however, defended the operation, describing it as "intelligence-based" and targeting key TTP camps and an Islamic State affiliate in the border region.

The Afghan Ministry of Defence, in a statement, said, “We hold the Pakistani military responsible for targeting civilians and religious sites. We will respond to these attacks in due course with a measured and appropriate response." The Defence Ministry condemned the attacks as ‘a breach of international law and the principles of good neighbourliness’, and vowed to reply.