ISLAMABAD / KABUL — Pakistan’s military and security authorities have confirmed carrying out precision aerial strikes targeting militant hideouts inside neighbouring Afghanistan, stating that 22 fighters were eliminated during the operations.
According to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in Islamabad, the operation was well-planned and calibrated, relying on actionable intelligence to strike specific compounds linked to hostile networks, including factions identified as Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan. Officials stated that the targeted facilities and associated ammunition depots were completely destroyed.
The strikes underscore Islamabad’s increasingly assertive posture regarding cross-border security. Pakistan has repeatedly maintained that militant factions—most notably the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)—utilize safe havens across the western frontier to orchestrate attacks inside Pakistani territory. Security analysts note that Islamabad’s current strategy signals zero tolerance for external sanctuaries, emphasizing that sovereign defense requires preemptive measures when cross-border threats go unchecked.
Meanwhile, authorities in Kabul offered a sharply contrasting account of the operation, alleging that the strikes impacted residential areas in Kunar and Helmand provinces. The de facto Taliban administration maintained its standard stance of denying allegations that Afghan soil is permitted to host or launch operations for militant groups targeting neighboring states.
Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have remained severely strained over persistent disagreements concerning border management and counter-terrorism enforcement. While Pakistani leadership has repeatedly urged the interim Afghan administration to fulfill its international obligations by dismantling cross-border terror networks, Islamabad has made clear that it will continue to exercise its fundamental right to protect its citizens and neutralize security threats originating from across the border.
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