Afghan-Pakistan conflict (Feb 2026): News & Updates

Shan

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Tensions flared along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border on Thursday as heavy fighting erupted between Pakistani security forces and Afghan fighters along the disputed Durand Line in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa district, days after Pakistan launched strikes on Afghanistan.

Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid confirmed on X that Kabul had launched a large-scale retaliatory offensive against Pakistan by targeting its military checkpoints. “In response to repeated insurrections and insurrections by Pakistan’s military circles, extensive offensive operations were launched on Pakistani army centres and military facilities along the Durand Line," he said.

“In response to its rebellion and repeated acts of defiance by the special military clique of Pakistan, extensive offensive operations against the centers and military facilities of Pakistani forces along the Durand Line have commenced," he said.

Security sources told CNN-News18 that Afghan Taliban forces launched coordinated attacks using artillery and infantry on Pakistani checkposts in the Maro Sar and Shahkot Sar areas near Zakha Khel market, which have reportedly inflicted heavy casualties on Pakistan.
 

Reuters reports that Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, stated that if Pakistan attacks Kabul or major cities of the country, Afghanistan "will target their key centers and important cities."According to the report, Mujahid emphasized that the Islamic Emirate is not seeking to expand the war, but clarified that any aggression or attack against Afghan soil will be met with a response.
 
no id rather not commit the same mistakes as the US when they armed the taliban.
thats just looking at practicality.

I certainly dont like the idea of going about arming actual terrorists. Its goes against everything we stand for as a country. Sure we can maybe give them intel about pakistani positions and the like but not directly supply of ammuniton or weapons. I dont like the idea of supporting a country where women dont even enjoy basic rights. Ik ill get called a softy but this is beyond repulsive for me.
What previous mistake?
You think a doing this would invite a pakistani terrorist to try to blow up our P.M. as retaliation? Well they are already trying.
we can simply agree to disagree.
 
no id rather not commit the same mistakes as the US when they armed the taliban.
thats just looking at practicality
What practicality? We have no intention to invade Afghanistan unlike U.S.

Neither any intention to upsurp taliban rule, unlike U.S.

U.S. mistake was not arming Taliban, it was to invade Afghanistan after 9/11.
Especially when the mastermind of 9/11 was in Pakistan near Pakistani military compound.

Wasting 20 years and 2+ trillion dollars.




I certainly dont like the idea of going about arming actual terrorists. Its goes against everything we stand for as a country
That's your own moral sense, moral feelings, but not rationality.
As a country we stand to protect our citizens, protect them from our enemies, getting a chance to increase pressure on our enemy, weaken them is in the good of our citizens.




Sure we can maybe give them intel about pakistani positions and the like but not directly supply of ammuniton or weapons
Why? Expect your sense?



dont like the idea of supporting a country where women dont even enjoy basic rights
And will us not supporting them, give the women of Afghanistan their rights back?

Are you feeling good that Afghan woman now have rights,because you don't like supporting talibs?

Reality is taliban is now in control, as a country, we neither have intention nor power to upsurp them, to save their women, to given them their rights.

But we do have an opportunity to defensively arm them so that they can become a bigger thorn in the side of Pakistan, the country who wishes to kill our men,women,children and have done so recently too.

Sometimes you gotta deal with an evil neutral to you, to protect your citizens from an evil hostile to you.

. Ik ill get called a softy but this is beyond repulsive for me
Again. Your feelings are not rationality or In benifit of India as a state, in current situation.

If i'm being blunt,You are just being selfish & you are not helping Afghan women, not even a little bit.



Again, if you have a rational answer to why we should'nt, 'im fully open to listening, maybe even agreeing, maybe i'm wrong.

But right now😮‍💨
 
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What practicality? We have no intention to invade Afghanistan unlike U.S.

Neither any intention to upsurp taliban rule, unlike U.S.

U.S. mistake was not arming Taliban, it was to invade Afghanistan after 9/11.
Especially when the mastermind of 9/11 was in Pakistan near Pakistani military compound.

Wasting 20 years and 2+ trillion dollars.





That's your own moral sense, moral feelings, but not rationality.
As a country we stand to protect our citizens, protect them from our enemies, getting a chance to increase pressure on our enemy, weaken them is in the good of our citizens.





Why? Expect your sense?




And will us not supporting them, give the women of Afghanistan their rights back?

Are you feeling good that Afghan woman now have rights,because you don't like supporting talibs?

Reality is taliban is now in control, as a country, we neither have intention nor power to upsurp them, to save their women, to given them their rights.

But we do have an opportunity to defensively arm them so that they can become a bigger thorn in the side of Pakistan, the country who wishes to kill our men,women,children and have done so recently too.

Sometimes you gotta deal with an evil neutral to you, to protect your citizens from an evil hostile to you.


Again. Your feelings are not rationality or In benifit of India as a state, in current situation.

If i'm being blunt,You are just being selfish & you are not helping Afghan women, not even a little bit.



Again, if you have a rational answer to why we should'nt, 'im fully open to listening, maybe even agreeing, maybe i'm wrong.

But right now😮‍💨
Idk man its not only the rights and stuff. Its the fact that theyre literal terrorists is what repulses me. maybe im not being rational, maybe im wrong but i just cant stomach it. What we are doing now with taliban with regards to diplomacy is enough for me.
 
What practicality? We have no intention to invade Afghanistan unlike U.S.

Neither any intention to upsurp taliban rule, unlike U.S.

U.S. mistake was not arming Taliban, it was to invade Afghanistan after 9/11.
Especially when the mastermind of 9/11 was in Pakistan near Pakistani military compound.

Wasting 20 years and 2+ trillion dollars.





That's your own moral sense, moral feelings, but not rationality.
As a country we stand to protect our citizens, protect them from our enemies, getting a chance to increase pressure on our enemy, weaken them is in the good of our citizens.





Why? Expect your sense?




And will us not supporting them, give the women of Afghanistan their rights back?

Are you feeling good that Afghan woman now have rights,because you don't like supporting talibs?

Reality is taliban is now in control, as a country, we neither have intention nor power to upsurp them, to save their women, to given them their rights.

But we do have an opportunity to defensively arm them so that they can become a bigger thorn in the side of Pakistan, the country who wishes to kill our men,women,children and have done so recently too.

Sometimes you gotta deal with an evil neutral to you, to protect your citizens from an evil hostile to you.


Again. Your feelings are not rationality or In benifit of India as a state, in current situation.

If i'm being blunt,You are just being selfish & you are not helping Afghan women, not even a little bit.



Again, if you have a rational answer to why we should'nt, 'im fully open to listening, maybe even agreeing, maybe i'm wrong.

But right now😮‍💨

1. Arming Taliban by sending them Indian made weaponry is inimical to our strategic requirements. We have little to gain yet a lot to lose in terms of narrative, unnecessary point of contention with "friendly" nations who would not like to see Taliban armed more than their comfort and take away slice of the share from weapons black market. Taliban & Afghanistan have been in constant state of warfare since decades now. They certainly do not lack the channels to get weapons from. Wouldn't be surprised if some pakistani ammunition finds its way into the hands of afghans in the starting phase of war.

2. Afghanistan-Taliban doesn't have a military. Neither does it rely on it to wage war. Why would they destroy KPK and other border areas anyway. Give some time, Pakistan will have to face increased heat inside its own borders. Just becoz pak army is against TTP and allies itself with LeT etc.. doesn't mean that those Terrorists won't have their own ideas vis a vis PA after this. The game of leverage, deterrence b/w various terroris orgs including PA will see an uptick.

3. What GOI will do very likely is continue its humanitarian assistance via medicine, food etc.

4. Let's have enough ammunition and systems deployed for our safety first.
That's doctored video. Neither of the two PM made such remarks.
 
Arming Taliban by sending them Indian made weaponry is inimical to our strategic requirements
How?

We have little to gain yet a lot to lose in terms of narrative, unnecessary point of contention with "friendly" nations who would not like to see Taliban armed more than their comfort and take away slice of the share from weapons black market.
We already lost what we had to lose and contented with "friendly" nations, when we publicly & officially Invited taliban spokesperson to Delhi to improve relations,and restored full embassy in kabul, an indirect recognition of taliban gov. As legitimate.

No. Serious gov. Cares this much about their share of weapons on black market.
Its some north korea, African states level shit.

I don't see it being inimical.



Taliban & Afghanistan have been in constant state of warfare since decades now. They certainly do not lack the channels to get weapons from.
The weapons they use are limited, have been for decades, they continue to use them out of necessity, doesn't mean they don't want upgrade, weapons and the means to get them are always in scarcity.



Wouldn't be surprised if some pakistani ammunition finds its way into the hands of afghans in the starting phase of war.
*some* & *ammo*
I.e. scarce amount of small arms


Afghanistan-Taliban doesn't have a military. Neither does it rely on it to wage war
I never said anything about them having a formal military, but still they are building a formal ish military now from their previous guerilla militant way of fighting, maybe they like the upgrade.




Give some time, Pakistan will have to face increased heat inside its own borders. Just becoz pak army is against TTP and allies itself with LeT etc.. doesn't mean that those Terrorists won't have their own ideas vis a vis PA after this. The game of leverage, deterrence b/w various terroris orgs including PA will see an uptick.
We can add an boost to the uptick, we have the capability.


What GOI will do very likely is continue its humanitarian assistance via medicine, food etc.
We'll see in future, what path they choose.


Let's have enough ammunition and systems deployed for our safety first
Not the same thing.
Defending a large country of more than a billion people, from covert terror attack is very very difficult.
On the contrary its relatively easy for a state of our size to convertly supply some weapons to afghans against Pakistan.
 
How?


We already lost what we had to lose and contented with "friendly" nations, when we publicly & officially Invited taliban spokesperson to Delhi to improve relations,and restored full embassy in kabul, an indirect recognition of taliban gov. As legitimate.

No. Serious gov. Cares this much about their share of weapons on black market.
Its some north korea, African states level shit.

I don't see it being inimical.




The weapons they use are limited, have been for decades, they continue to use them out of necessity, doesn't mean they don't want upgrade, weapons and the means to get them are always in scarcity.




*some* & *ammo*
I.e. scarce amount of small arms



I never said anything about them having a formal military, but still they are building a formal ish military now from their previous guerilla militant way of fighting, maybe they like the upgrade.





We can add an boost to the uptick, we have the capability.



We'll see in future, what path they choose.



Not the same thing.
Defending a large country of more than a billion people, from covert terror attack is very very difficult.
On the contrary its relatively easy for a state of our size to convertly supply some weapons to afghans against Pakistan.
1. Inviting Talibani official and establishing some form of official diplomatic channel is not same as arming Taliban with drones, rockets and VSHORADS!? . Two different level of interaction, different levels of dynamics.

2. No we didn't contend against anyone by establishing a diplomatic channel. It's not about being reluctant or being passive. It's about weighing pros and cons. Here, the "friendly" nation will be USA and Trumps obsession with Bagram Base.

3. This is not some small time african/Nk sht. It deep sht consisting of drug network, weapons, mercenaries, slave market etc. You remove weapons from this equation and whole exchange dynamics will change. If it was important, than it poses no threat to Indian state even if it moves in that direction. But what's the point rn? Sending weapons for free? Or trading them for.. what exactly? Kind of an unnecessary action.

When US armed Taliban, they got two things in return. Dominance in ME and kicking out soviets. When US & Pak armed various other groups and moved against Taliban.. pak got moolah and US got its control.

I do not see what India will get out of such move. Distracting pakistan? Damaging them? Degrading them? We don't need to send rockets and AD for that. Pak is doing that themselves.

4. Adding a boost to the uptick is work of intelligence and covert agencies.

5. I am not talking about deploying the big ticket systems against Terrorists. But deploying it for their intended purposes i.e. safeguarding our borders and battle ready force. Let's not forget that Taliban is not our friend either. Their deobandi ideology has done us no favors & arming them isn't going to solve the threat of radical islam.

6. Baba.. you talked about sending Artillery, ATMs, even Air Defense. That is not easy to provide "covertly". RPGs, Rifles, Small drones are different thing and doesn't need big IDDM systems to be delivered to them.
With the situation of ME, AFRICA and Europe today... Proliferation of such weapons only increases.

7. Don't look down on the importance of humanitarian assistance such as healthcare, Food and other things ( including financial aid).
 
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Inviting Talibani official and establishing some form of official diplomatic channel is not same as arming Taliban with drones, rockets and VSHORADS!? . Two different level of interaction, different levels of dynamics.
I know.
But its a ladder,
openly Inviting taliban's FM to officially reset ties, while they are still sanctioned and scorned, its not sometime west will tolerate willingly, GOI did that because it beleived, picking a fight with us for this is not worth it for other countries, leave us alone.

I do not see, us supporting Afghanistan against Pakistan with weapons as something that any friendlies would SERIOUSLY pick a fight over, some concern will be expressed.




No we didn't contend against anyone by establishing a diplomatic channel. It's not about being reluctant or being passive. It's about weighing pros and cons. Here, the "friendly" nation will be USA and Trumps obsession with Bagram Base.
Its a few words that trump said, just words for now, there's no movement at all.

We are already defying them by buying russia's oil, the same country against which U.S. is supplying weapons to Ukraine for.
They did far worse, dirty tactics, trade pressure etc, nothing worked.





Sending weapons for free? Or trading them for.. what exactly? Kind of an unnecessary action.
Loan.


In the 2026–27 Union Budget, India increased its development assistance to Afghanistan to ₹150 crore (approx. $16 million.
Afghanistan is actively encouraging Indian investments by offering 5-year tax breaks, free land for investors, and reduced import duties on machinery, particularly in sectors like mining, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and textiles.

India expressed readiness to resume stalled infrastructure projects, specifically focusing on hydroelectric facilities.

Discussions are active on reopening the India-Afghanistan Air Freight Corridor and utilizing the Chabahar Port in Iran to bypass Pakistan for direct trade.


As of February 2026, India is recalibrating its mining strategy in Afghanistan, shifting from a "wait-and-watch" approach to a more proactive, though cautious, engagement with the Taliban-led administration. The focus is on securing critical minerals like lithium and reviving long-stalled projects like the Hajigak iron ore





I do not see what India will get out of such move. Distracting pakistan? Damaging them? Degrading them? We don't need to send rockets and AD for that. Pak is doing that themselves.
But they sure help,along with all the other things.


. Adding a boost to the uptick is work of intelligence and covert agencies.
Not limited to just them.


I am not talking about deploying the big ticket systems against Terrorists. But deploying it for their intended purposes i.e. safeguarding our borders and battle ready force. Let's not forget that Taliban is not our friend either. Their deobandi ideology has done us no favors & arming them isn't going to solve the threat of radical islam.
What big ticket items?
Rocket artillary? Short range sam? , drones? VSHORAD? Small arms?


Baba.. you talked about sending Artillery, ATMs, even Air Defense. That is not easy to provide "covertly".
All fit inside cargo bays of our large transports.


Don't look down on the importance of humanitarian assistance such as healthcare, Food and other things ( including financial aid).
Huh?
Do you intend to prevent the Taliban from gaining access to Pakistani nuclear weapons? Or does that not matter to you?
Eh? We eh, don't expect taliban to run over Pakistan at all, mostly will be in border regions or Pakistan making regional shallow advance in Afghanistan, , suicide bombing by Afghans.
 
The old folks who knew the erstwhile forum based out of our neighborhood would remember the chest-thumping by our friends from the West… “Let Feb 14 pass and let Uncle Sam leave Afg; we (Pakistanis) will show you (Indians) how Kashmir is taken…”
The way the then ISI chief flew to Kabul to have his famous tea (don’t know what’s up with Pakistanis and ☕) — just to show off…
“Strategic depth” — that’s what they used to call Afghanistan. And yet, here we are… Pakistanis fighting a war with Afghans, knowing they can never defeat them…
Imagine the excitement within our agencies… Whom to support and whom to ignore…
Do you intend to prevent the Taliban from gaining access to Pakistani nuclear weapons? Or does that not matter to you?
Will never happen..... There adequate forces in neighborhood who would ensure no such scenario ever happen
 
Do you intend to prevent the Taliban from gaining access to Pakistani nuclear weapons? Or does that not matter to you?
Why should we prevent the Taliban ? It's the responsibility of the Paxtani Army to prevent that & they will.

At the moment their NWP is the only currency more valuable than the USDs they're borrowing at extortionate terms from all & sundry.

Paxtan loses their NWP & it's the end of the road for them . They'd be just another Somalia or Syria then with 10x the population .