Pakistan's security forces executed a ground operation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border on Sunday, followed by targeted strikes on militant hideouts, resulting in the deaths of 29 fighters, according to officials.
Operation Details
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announced on X that the operation was a response to multiple militant attacks across the country. The ground operation and subsequent calibrated strikes targeted hideouts and safe havens of the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). There was no immediate comment from Afghan authorities.
Recent Surge in Violence
Pakistan has experienced a rise in militant attacks against police and security forces in recent years. The government attributes most of the violence to the TTP and allied groups. The operation came one day after militants armed with guns and explosives attacked the regional headquarters of the paramilitary Rangers in Karachi, killing three soldiers. Security forces neutralized three attackers and captured another, identified by the military as a wounded Afghan national. The breakaway faction Jamaat-ul-Ahrar claimed responsibility for the Karachi assault.
Strained Relations with Afghanistan
The latest cross-border strikes are likely to further strain already tense relations between Islamabad and Kabul. This operation occurred less than three weeks after Pakistan conducted airstrikes on alleged militant hideouts in Afghanistan. The escalation follows months of tit-for-tat military actions, with hundreds killed since February, when Afghanistan launched retaliatory strikes after Pakistani airstrikes. Multiple rounds of internationally mediated peace talks have failed to secure a lasting ceasefire. China hosted both sides in April, after which Beijing stated that Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed not to escalate their conflict and to explore a solution.
Accusations and Denials
Pakistan accuses the Afghan Taliban government of harboring militants, particularly the TTP, who carry out deadly attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul denies these allegations. The Pakistani Taliban are a separate entity from the Afghan Taliban, though they are allies. The Afghan Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.
