The US State Department affirmed Washington’s support for Pakistan’s right to protect itself from terrorist attacks after Pakistani security forces conducted coordinated ground and aerial operations targeting militant hideouts along the border with Afghanistan.
Highlighting the suffering endured by the Pakistani people due to terrorism, the statement emphasized the legitimacy of Pakistan’s defensive actions. This declaration followed the federal government’s confirmation that 29 militants were eliminated in intelligence-driven operations and precision strikes under Operation Ghazab lil-Haq.
On June 29, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar detailed that security forces initiated a carefully planned intelligence-based operation in Bajaur district, killing four militants affiliated with the Indian proxy groups Jamaat ul Ahrar and Fitna al-Khawarij. Among those killed was a high-value commander known as Khan Farosh, alias Zabal.
The initial operation was succeeded by overnight precision strikes conducted between June 28 and 29 against terrorist camps in border regions. Three militant sites in Paktia, Paktika, and Kunar provinces were destroyed, resulting in the deaths of 25 militants. Large caches of weapons and ammunition stored at these locations were also destroyed during the strikes.
The military action was reportedly launched in response to a series of terrorist attacks within Pakistan, including incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and an assault on a Pakistan Rangers camp in Karachi. Additionally, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed that the military intercepted and downed four rudimentary drones launched by the Afghan Taliban along the Balochistan border.
Pakistan, recognized as a major non-NATO ally of the United States, has experienced improved relations with Washington since President Donald Trump’s return to office. Meanwhile, Islamabad has played a mediating role in efforts to resolve recent conflicts involving the US, Israel, and Iran.
Notably, Pakistan has long accused the Afghan Taliban regime of harboring militant groups responsible for attacks within Pakistani territory, underscoring the strategic importance of these recent military operations.
