Karachi: Pakistan’s military carried out targeted operations along its western frontier early Sunday, striking what officials described as seven militant hideouts linked to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and allied groups. Authorities claimed the action resulted in the deaths of dozens of fighters.
In a statement posted before dawn, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the strikes were “intelligence-driven and precise,” aimed at dismantling camps used by armed groups accused of orchestrating recent attacks inside Pakistan. He added that a faction associated with the Islamic State was also among the targets in the border region.
While Islamabad did not specify the exact locations of the operations, unverified social media accounts suggested the strikes may have occurred inside Afghan territory. There was no immediate response from officials in Kabul.
The development follows a series of deadly incidents in northwestern Pakistan. Earlier this week, a suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into a security installation in Bajaur district, killing 11 soldiers and a child. Authorities said the attacker was an Afghan national. Hours before Sunday’s reported strikes, another suicide attack in Bannu district claimed the lives of two soldiers, including a senior officer.
Pakistan’s military had warned after Saturday’s violence that it would pursue those responsible “without restraint,” signaling a possible escalation in tensions with Afghanistan.
Tarar maintained that Pakistan possesses “credible evidence” indicating that recent attacks, including a bombing at a Shiite mosque in Islamabad that left 31 worshippers dead, were planned and directed by militants operating from across the border. He reiterated Islamabad’s demand that Afghanistan’s Taliban leadership take verifiable measures to prevent armed groups from using Afghan soil to target Pakistan.
Islamabad has frequently accused the TTP of maintaining safe havens in Afghanistan, an allegation denied by both the group and Kabul. The TTP, though distinct from Afghanistan’s Taliban, is widely viewed as ideologically aligned with them.
The latest strikes come months after Pakistan conducted similar operations deep inside Afghan territory in October. Relations between the two neighbors have remained fragile, particularly after cross-border clashes last year that left dozens dead on both sides.
Although a Qatar-facilitated truce has largely prevented further large-scale confrontations, diplomatic efforts, including talks in Istanbul, have yet to produce a lasting agreement. With militant violence rising in Pakistan’s border regions, the security situation continues to test ties between Islamabad and Kabul.
