ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan announced early Sunday that it conducted strikes along the border with Afghanistan, targeting the hideouts of Pakistani militants it holds responsible for attacks in the country over the past few days.
There was no information from Islamabad on exactly where the strikes were conducted.
1️⃣ Kabul Accuses Pakistan of Targeting Civilians in Border Strikes
In the Afghan capital of Kabul, Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed that Pakistan conducted strikes inside Afghanistan.In a post on X, Mujahid said Pakistan carried out the strikes against civilians in the provinces of Nangarhar and Paktika. He said the attacks killed and injured dozens of people, including women and children.
Mujahid claimed that Pakistan’s military launched the strikes to cover up its own security weaknesses inside the country.
In statements made before dawn on Sunday, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated in a post on X that the military conducted “intelligence-based, selective operations” against seven camps of the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, and its affiliates. An affiliate of the Islamic State group was also targeted in the border region.
2️⃣ Pakistan Says Operations Targeted TTP Camps, Not Civilians
In October, Pakistan also carried out strikes deep inside Afghanistan against militant hideouts.
Tarar added that “the safety and security of Pakistani citizens will always remain our top priority. Pakistan has always strived to maintain peace and stability in the region.”
The latest incident occurred days after a suicide bomber, accompanied by gunmen, rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the wall of a security post in Bajaur district in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which shares a border with Afghanistan. The explosion led to the partial collapse of the compound wall, killing 11 soldiers and a child, and officials later said the bomber was an Afghan national.
Just hours before the latest border attack, a suicide bomber struck a security convoy in the Bannu district in Pakistan’s northwest, killing two soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel. Following Saturday’s attack, Pakistan’s military had warned that it would not “exercise any restraint” and that attacks against those responsible would continue “irrespective of their location,” indicating an escalation of tensions between Islamabad and Kabul.
Tarar said Pakistan has conclusive evidence about the recent attacks. These attacks include a suicide bombing at a Shiite mosque in Islamabad. The blast killed 31 worshippers earlier this month. He said militants carried out the attacks. He added that their Afghanistan-based leaders and handlers directed them.
Tarar said Pakistan urged the Taliban rulers in Afghanistan to take clear and serious action. Pakistan asked them to stop militant groups from using Afghan land to plan and launch attacks against Pakistan. However, he said the Taliban have not taken effective steps so far.
Tarar also called on the international community to act. He asked global leaders to pressure the Taliban rulers in Afghanistan. He said they must honor their commitments under the Doha Agreement. According to him, they must not allow Afghan territory to be used for planning or launching attacks inside Pakistan.