Watch: Footage captures devastation after Pakistani strikes on Afghan madrassa
Times of India
by TOI WORLD DESKFebruary 22, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Footage circulating online reveals the aftermath of Pakistani air strikes on a religious madrassa in eastern Afghanistan, showing rescuers digging through rubble and families searching for loved ones. The seminary in Barmal district of Paktika province was among several sites hit overnight, with local officials reporting over 20 deaths. Strikes targeted areas in Barmal, Urgun, Khogyani, Behsud, and Ghani Khel districts across Paktika and Nangarhar provinces. Eyewitnesses described residents using bulldozers to clear debris as bodies were recovered from collapsed buildings. At least 17 people, including 12 children and teenagers, were killed when a house was struck in one district.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting confirmed the strikes as “intelligence-based, selective operations” aimed at dismantling militant camps along the border. The targets included hideouts of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and affiliates of Islamic State Khorasan Province. Islamabad cited recent suicide bombings inside Pakistan, including a deadly attack on a Shiite mosque in Islamabad and assaults in Bajaur and Bannu. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated that Pakistan had “conclusive evidence” linking these attacks to militants operating from Afghan soil.
The Pakistani government accused the Taliban of harboring such groups despite repeated warnings. Kabul strongly condemned the strikes, with Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid accusing Pakistani generals of diverting attention from their own security failures. The Afghan government denied allegations of harbouring militant groups. Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have soured since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, marked by border clashes and accusations of mutual complicity in cross-border attacks.
The airstrikes highlight the fragile state of regional security and the ongoing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Both nations trade blame for escalating violence along their shared border, with recent incidents fueling further distrust. The situation underscores the broader challenges of counterterrorism and sovereignty in South Asia, where militants often exploit porous borders to launch attacks
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Originally published on Times of India on 2/22/2026