The Taliban government of Afghanistan has warned of retaliation following Pakistani airstrikes that killed at least 17 people in Afghan territory. The strikes, conducted on Saturday night, targeted areas in Nangarhar and Paktika provinces, hitting a religious school and residential homes. Pakistan claimed the attacks were aimed at militant hideouts, while Kabul accused Islamabad of violating Afghanistan’s sovereignty and a ceasefire agreement.

In a statement, the Afghan government said it reserves the right to respond and that the timing and nature of any counterattack will be determined by Taliban leadership, though alternative options remain open. Taliban leaders held an emergency meeting to discuss possible responses and informed mediating countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey about the incident.

The Afghan Ministry of Defense condemned the strikes on Sunday, describing civilian casualties that included women and children. The situation has heightened tensions between the two neighboring countries, with Kabul asserting its right to defend national sovereignty.

Pakistan carried out air and drone strikes across several areas of Afghanistan early Sunday, reportedly killing around 17 people. Following the attacks in border regions, senior officials of Afghanistan’s Taliban government convened an emergency meeting to discuss possible retaliatory measures against Pakistan. In a statement, the Afghan government accused Pakistan of violating Afghanistan’s territorial integrity and asserted Kabul’s right to respond, though the timing of any counterattack would be determined by Taliban leaders.

According to The Week, Afghan authorities believe Pakistan’s new strikes breached an existing ceasefire agreement. They have informed mediator countries Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey about the situation. Pakistan claimed the strikes were precision operations based on intelligence targeting militant hideouts, while Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid stated on X that Pakistani forces attacked civilians, causing dozens of deaths.

The report noted that heavy border clashes occurred between the two nations last year before a ceasefire was brokered. Pakistan’s latest actions followed a rise in terrorist attacks inside its territory, which it blamed on Afghanistan.

Pakistan’s military carried out airstrikes across several areas of Afghanistan, killing at least 17 people, according to Afghan sources cited by Al Jazeera. The Pakistani government said the strikes targeted seven hideouts of Fitna al-Kharij’s affiliates and Daesh-Khorasan along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Islamabad described the operation as a response to a recent suicide attack in the Pakistani capital.

Afghanistan’s Ministry of Defense condemned the strikes in a statement on Sunday, saying they hit a religious school and residential homes in Nangarhar and Paktika provinces, causing civilian casualties including women and children. The attacks have placed a fragile ceasefire between the two neighbors under serious strain.

Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting stated on social media that the military targeted camps and secret bases of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and allied groups, as well as an Islamic State affiliate near the border. The ministry added that Islamabad had repeatedly urged the Taliban government to prevent armed groups from using Afghan territory for attacks but claimed Kabul had failed to act.

Afghanistan concluded its T20 World Cup journey with consecutive victories, defeating Canada by 82 runs in Chennai on February 20, 2026. After losing the toss, Afghanistan batted first and posted 200 runs, marking the first time the team reached this milestone in T20 World Cup history. Opener Ibrahim Zadran led the innings with an unbeaten 95 off 56 balls, the highest individual score by an Afghan batsman in the tournament. Rahmanullah Gurbaz added 30 runs, while Sediqullah Atal contributed 44 off 32 balls.

In reply, Canada struggled to build momentum, losing five wickets for 48 runs within nine overs and finishing at 118 for eight after 20 overs. Harsh Thakar top-scored for Canada with 30 runs, while previous match centurion Yuvraj Samra managed only 17. Veteran all-rounder Mohammad Nabi delivered his career-best bowling performance, taking four wickets for just seven runs in four overs. Captain Rashid Khan also claimed two wickets for 19 runs.

Although Afghanistan had already been eliminated from the tournament, the team ended on a high note with two consecutive wins, providing a measure of consolation before returning home.

Afghanistan has announced that it will assist Iran if the United States launches a military attack and Tehran requests help. Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid made the statement on Sunday, February 15, emphasizing that Afghans would show solidarity with Iran. He added that Afghanistan does not support war and prefers peaceful solutions through dialogue.

The spokesperson noted that Iran has recently shown restraint, and Afghanistan hopes no conflict will erupt between Washington and Tehran. The statement comes as instability spreads across the Middle East, with the United States deploying the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and other warships in preparation for a possible strike on Iran. Another carrier is reportedly heading to the region.

Several Middle Eastern countries are attempting to prevent a potential war, fearing that a large-scale conflict would cause severe economic and humanitarian damage across the region.

Afghanistan defeated the United Arab Emirates by five wickets in a T20 World Cup match held in Delhi on February 16, 2026. The match was marked by Rashid Khan’s historic achievement of becoming the first cricketer to claim 700 wickets in T20 cricket. Rashid reached the milestone when he dismissed UAE batter Muhammad Arfan, finishing with one wicket for 24 runs. Afghanistan successfully chased down UAE’s total of 160 for nine, reaching 162 for five in 19.2 overs.

UAE’s innings was anchored by Shoaib Khan’s 68 and Alishan Sharafu’s 40, while Azmatullah Omarzai starred with the ball for Afghanistan, taking four wickets for 15 runs. In reply, Afghanistan lost an early wicket but were steadied by Ibrahim Zadran’s 53 off 41 balls. Omarzai later contributed an unbeaten 40 off 21 balls to secure victory with four balls remaining. Junaid Siddique and Muhammad Arfan took two wickets each for UAE.

Omarzai was named player of the match for his all-round performance, as Afghanistan celebrated both the win and Rashid Khan’s record-breaking feat.

The Taliban government has introduced sweeping reforms in Afghanistan’s pharmaceutical market to improve drug quality and boost domestic production. The move follows a November announcement to end long-standing dependence on medicine imports from Pakistan after deadly border clashes. Importers were given three months to find alternative legal sources, but traders report major challenges in ending old contracts and completing customs procedures.

Pharmacists in Kabul say prices of several medicines have risen while some drugs are unavailable, causing hardship for patients. Transport costs have surged by up to 30 percent as imports shift to routes through Iran and other countries. The Health Ministry cites counterfeit Pakistani medicines as a key reason for the reform and says new supply links are being built with Iran, India, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, Turkey, China, and Belarus. Local firms now produce about 600 types of medicines, including antibiotics.

Experts caution that Afghanistan remains dependent on imported raw materials and faces high energy costs and limited infrastructure, making full self-sufficiency unrealistic in the short term. Doctors warn that the transition is complicating treatment and delaying patient care.

At least 12 people were killed and three others seriously injured when a minibus plunged into a ravine in northeastern Afghanistan, local officials said on Saturday. The accident occurred as the vehicle was traveling toward the provincial capital, Faizabad, along a road in Badakhshan province. According to a provincial police spokesperson, the bus lost control before falling into the ravine. The victims included men, women, and children, and the injured were reported to be in critical condition.

Fatal road accidents are common in Afghanistan, where decades of conflict have left road infrastructure weak and safety regulations poorly enforced. Reckless driving and the lack of traffic discipline further contribute to frequent tragedies on the country’s highways.

Previous major accidents include an August crash in Herat province that killed 78 people, many of them children, and another near Kabul later that month that left 25 dead after a bus overturned due to driver negligence.

Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA) reported that recent heavy snowfall and rain have killed 61 people across multiple provinces. According to a report by Tolo News, 110 others were injured and 458 houses were damaged or destroyed. The affected provinces include Kabul, Parwan, Panjshir, Bamiyan, Daikundi, Maidan Wardak, Ghazni, Herat, Ghor, Badghis, Faryab, Sar-e Pol, Balkh, Samangan, and Nuristan.

Residents in several areas said that blocked roads and severe weather have made it difficult to reach hospitals and emergency services. They appealed to the government for urgent assistance. Locals described worsening conditions due to extreme cold and unemployment, with many lacking warm clothing and basic supplies.

Experts warned that Afghanistan needs long-term planning, stronger infrastructure resilience, and improved early warning systems to better handle such disasters, which threaten thousands of lives each winter.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned that around 270,000 children in Afghanistan are at serious risk of cold-related illnesses due to extreme winter weather and heavy snowfall. In a statement, the agency said children in eastern Afghanistan, already affected by last year’s earthquake, are facing worsening conditions as prolonged exposure to cold and damp weather increases the risk of respiratory infections, hypothermia, and other preventable diseases.

UNICEF noted that children living in temporary shelters are particularly vulnerable to rain, snow, and poor sanitation, which further heighten health risks. The organization also reported that the United Kingdom has provided a donation of 10.8 million dollars to support child nutrition programs in Afghanistan.

According to local authorities, heavy snowfall and rain over the past two days have killed at least 11 people and injured three others across several provinces, including Parwan, Wardak, Kandahar, Jawzjan, Faryab, and Bamiyan. The national weather department expects precipitation to continue in most parts of the country in the coming days.

Afghanistan clinched the three-match T20 series against West Indies after a 39-run victory in the second match held in Dubai. Spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman’s hat-trick and four-wicket haul led the team to a 2–0 lead, securing the series with one game remaining. Afghanistan had earlier won the first match of the series.

Batting first, Afghanistan posted 189 for 4 in 20 overs, with Darwish Rasooli scoring 68 off 39 balls and Sediqullah Atal adding 53 off 42. The pair shared a 115-run partnership for the third wicket. In reply, West Indies were bowled out for 150 in 18.5 overs despite a fifty from Brandon King and 46 from Shimron Hetmyer.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman was named Player of the Match for his performance, taking 4 wickets for 21 runs in four overs. The win marked Afghanistan’s second consecutive bilateral T20 series victory over West Indies.

Afghanistan began their final T20 preparation series for the upcoming T20 World Cup with a convincing 38-run victory over the West Indies at the Dubai International Stadium. Batting first, Afghanistan recovered from an early collapse at 19 for 2, thanks to a 162-run partnership between Ibrahim Zadran and Rasooli. Ibrahim remained unbeaten on 87 off 56 balls, while Rasooli scored 84 off 59, guiding Afghanistan to 181 for 3 in 20 overs.

In reply, the West Indies struggled from the start, losing five wickets for just 50 runs. Despite late efforts from Sampson, Ford, and Motie, who scored 30, 25, and 28 respectively, the Caribbean side could only manage 143 for 9 in their 20 overs. For Afghanistan, Ziaur Rahman took three wickets, while Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, Rashid Khan, and Noor Ahmed claimed two each.

The win gives Afghanistan a 1–0 lead in the three-match series, setting a strong tone ahead of the T20 World Cup.

At least seven people were killed and more than twenty others injured in a powerful explosion in Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, according to the country’s Interior Ministry. The blast occurred on Monday, January 19, in the Shahr-e-Naw area, which is known for housing foreign residents and is considered one of the city’s relatively secure zones. Taliban officials confirmed the incident through news agencies AFP and Reuters, stating that further details would be released later.

The Italian NGO Emergency, which operates a hospital in Kabul, reported that the explosion took place near its facility. The organization said twenty victims were brought to its surgical center, seven of whom were already dead upon arrival. The cause of the explosion has not yet been disclosed.

Since the Taliban took power following the 2021 withdrawal of U.S. forces, the frequency of explosions in Kabul has decreased. However, Islamic State–linked militant groups remain active in Afghanistan and have continued to carry out sporadic attacks, including several suicide bombings in 2025.

Trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan has fallen by 40 percent due to ongoing tensions and border clashes, according to Afghanistan’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce. The closure of key border crossings has disrupted the movement of goods, severely affecting bilateral trade. Official Afghan data show that total trade between the two countries declined from 2.461 billion dollars in 2024 to 1.766 billion dollars in 2025, a decrease of 695 million dollars.

During the same period, Afghanistan’s exports to Pakistan dropped from 817 million dollars to 505 million dollars, while imports fell from 1.644 billion dollars to 1.261 billion dollars. Economic analysts have emphasized that Afghanistan should not rely on a single trade partner or transit route. They suggest developing alternative corridors through Iran, Central Asia, and air routes to reduce dependence on Pakistan and achieve long-term economic stability.

Major trade crossings such as Torkham and Spin Boldak have remained completely closed for about three months, halting cargo transport and causing financial losses for traders on both sides.

At least 17 people have been killed and 11 injured after sudden floods struck several regions of Afghanistan following heavy rain and snowfall, according to reports on Thursday. In Herat province’s Kabkan area, five members of a single family died when their house roof collapsed. The governor’s spokesperson, Mohammad Yusuf Saeedi, confirmed that two of the victims were children.

Mohammad Yusuf Hammad, spokesperson for Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA), said the casualties occurred in flood-affected districts since Monday. The floods have disrupted daily life across northern, southern, and western parts of the country. Infrastructure damage and livestock deaths have been reported, with around 1,800 families affected. Observation teams have been deployed to the worst-hit areas.

The report noted that decades of conflict, weak infrastructure, deforestation, and the intensifying effects of climate change have worsened the impact of natural disasters, particularly in remote regions. In August, a 6.0-magnitude earthquake killed more than 1,400 people in Afghanistan.