- By Vaidika Thapa
- Fri, 27 Feb 2026 04:47 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Afghanistan on Friday signalled a counter-retaliation to Pakistan's military offensive, "Operation Ghazab lil-Haq," by deploying a battalion of suicide attackers, also known as "suicide squad." The development follows fresh tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with Pakistan's Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, describing the situation as an "open war."
State-run Bakhtar News Agency shared an image of what it described as a battalion of suicide attackers. The outlet quoted an Afghan security source as saying the bombers were equipped with explosive vests and car bombs and were prepared to strike major targets.
Taliban Deputy Spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat announced that the Air Force affiliated with the National Ministry of Defence launched airstrikes at around 11 am, targeting a military camp near Faizabad in Islamabad, Pakistan, as well as an army barracks in Nowshera and a military site in Jamrud.
بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم
— Hamdullah Fitratحمدالله فطرت (@FitratHamd) February 27, 2026
وَإِنَّ جُندَنَا لَهُمُ الْغَالِبُونَ.
شنت القوات الجوية التابعة لوزارة الدفاع الوطني، ظهر اليوم حوالي الساعة الحادية عشرة، غارات جوية استهدفت معسكراً عسكرياً قرب مدينة فيض آباد في إسلام آباد بباكستان، وكذلك ثكنة للجيش في نوشهر، و موقع عسكرية في جمرود، https://t.co/zC9fsQHi2x
What Is Suicide Squad?
The suicide squad is a battalion comprising trained bombers equipped with advanced explosive vests and car bombs. These fighters are reportedly deployed for "offensive and retaliatory operations" during times of major crisis. The concept of an official "suicide squad" within Afghanistan's military is not new.
In early 2022, the Taliban announced the integration of a suicide battalion into their national army to protect Afghanistan's borders, including those with China and Tajikistan. Earlier, in January 2022, the Taliban reportedly deployed a suicide squad along the China-Afghanistan border, hailing them as "Superpower Slayers."
Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asserted that the country's forces "have the full capability to crush any aggressive ambitions." According to posts on the Pakistani government's official X handle, Sharif said, "There will be no compromise on the defense of the beloved homeland, and every aggression will be met with a befitting reply."