Pakistan announced on Monday that it carried out overnight airstrikes in eastern Afghanistan targeting militants, in response to a series of deadly attacks against its security forces.
Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said in a statement that “three targets in Paktia, Paktika, and Kunar were destroyed in precise strikes,” referring to three provinces in eastern Afghanistan. He added that the raids killed 25 militants.
Tarar stated that the operation also included ground actions in border areas targeting the militant group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, which is sometimes linked to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
He said the overnight operations were launched in response to an attack that killed three paramilitary personnel in the southern city of Karachi on Saturday, as well as recent violence in border provinces.
Meanwhile, Taliban government spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said on Monday that the Pakistani strikes in eastern Afghanistan had killed or injured dozens of civilians.
In a statement posted on X, Mujahid condemned the Pakistani military action, describing it as a “cowardly act of aggression.”
Pakistan has conducted a series of airstrikes in Afghanistan in recent months, including another operation earlier this month.
Islamabad accuses the Taliban government of harboring militants responsible for a surge in attacks, particularly the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has waged an insurgency against Pakistan for years.
Kabul, however, denies that Afghan territory is being used as a base for militants and maintains that previous Pakistani strikes have resulted in civilian casualties.
The border between the two neighboring countries has remained largely closed since violence escalated in October, freezing much of their bilateral trade.
AFP
