Pakistan launched precision aerial strikes on terrorist hideouts inside Afghanistan on Thursday, killing at least 22 militants in what officials described as a calculated response to mounting cross-border threats.
The Ministry of Information confirmed the operation targeted camps belonging to militant groups Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan at two separate locations. Intelligence reports guided the strikes, which destroyed weapons stockpiles and ammunition caches alongside the militant positions.
Officials emphasized that extensive measures were taken to prevent civilian casualties during the operation, which forms part of the broader counterterrorism campaign Operation Ghazab lil-Haq. The ministry stated that Pakistan’s primary concern remains protecting its citizens, even as it seeks regional stability.
This marks the second major cross-border strike in just one week. Seven days earlier, Pakistani forces hit ten locations in Afghanistan after intercepting eight hostile drones that had crossed from Afghan territory. Four drones were downed near Torkham, with another four destroyed in mountainous terrain near Kohat.
Simultaneously, security forces eliminated six militants during a separate intelligence-driven operation in Balochistan’s Kachhi district. Quadcopter drones were deployed to target the militants in the Sani area, with significant weapons recovered afterward. In North Waziristan, another operation destroyed multiple hideouts and tunnels, neutralizing explosives and killing several militants.
The escalation comes amid increasingly sharp rhetoric between Islamabad and Kabul. Pakistan has now openly accused the Afghan Taliban regime of serving as a proxy for what it calls “Hindutva designs,” alleging that Taliban leaders are abetting terrorism for financial gain.
The Information Ministry issued a scathing statement describing the Taliban government as a “non-inclusive and force-imposed regime” that oppresses the Afghan people while deflecting blame for internal failures onto Pakistan. Officials dismissed recent Taliban allegations linking Pakistani forces to violence in Afghanistan’s Nuristan province as baseless propaganda lacking any credible evidence.
Pakistan maintains that Afghanistan continues to harbor terrorist networks despite repeated assurances. Cross-border attacks have surged dramatically since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, particularly affecting Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces.
Operation Ghazab lil-Haq was launched in February 2026, months after a ceasefire agreement in October 2025 temporarily eased border tensions. However, multiple rounds of talks have failed to resolve the core dispute over militant sanctuaries on Afghan soil.
Former senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, speaking at an international conference on Afghanistan in Islamabad, called for a regional diplomatic strategy to address terrorism emanating from Afghan territory. He argued the issue extends beyond bilateral relations, requiring collective action from all of Afghanistan’s neighbors.
Sayed noted that terrorism from Afghanistan threatens not only Pakistan but also Iran, China, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Russia. He suggested the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure could provide an institutional framework for coordinated counterterrorism efforts.
Despite the harsh official exchanges, Sayed emphasized that Pakistan’s relationship with the Afghan people should remain strong, citing decades of hosting Afghan refugees and deep cultural and economic ties. He also mentioned indications from journalists recently in Kabul that Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani may be open to establishing dialogue mechanisms to address terrorism concerns.
The strikes underscore Pakistan’s growing willingness to take unilateral military action when it perceives threats to national security, even at the risk of further straining relations with the Taliban government. With terrorist incidents continuing to rise and diplomatic efforts stalled, the security situation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border remains volatile and unpredictable.
