The long-standing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan reached a new peak on Friday when the Afghan Taliban regime initiated unprovoked gunfire along the shared border. This aggressive move triggered a swift and forceful retaliation from Pakistani security forces determined to defend their territory. The situation, already fragile due to ongoing cross-border militancy, intensified as Islamabad launched a comprehensive military operation named Ghazab lil-Haq targeting Taliban positions inside Afghanistan.
Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar detailed the scale of Pakistan’s response, revealing that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) executed precise airstrikes on key Taliban military installations located in Kandahar, Kabul, and Paktia provinces. These strikes reportedly inflicted severe damage on the Taliban’s infrastructure, including the destruction of two corps headquarters, three brigade headquarters, and multiple ammunition depots. Additionally, the operation targeted a logistics base, three battalion headquarters, and two sector headquarters, significantly degrading the Taliban’s command and control capabilities.
Minister Tarar further highlighted the extensive material losses suffered by the Taliban, noting that over 80 tanks, artillery pieces, and armoured personnel carriers were destroyed during the strikes. The human cost for the Taliban was also substantial, with at least 133 militants killed and more than 200 wounded. The Pakistani forces managed to destroy 27 Afghan posts and captured nine others, marking a significant tactical gain. However, the operation came at a cost for Pakistan as well, with two soldiers martyred and three others wounded while defending the nation’s borders.
Security officials confirmed that the Pakistani military’s offensive successfully dismantled several critical Taliban positions. In the aftermath of Pakistan’s decisive action, Taliban fighters reportedly raised white flags at various locations, signaling a temporary retreat or surrender. The use of advanced artillery and drone technology, including quadcopters, played a crucial role in weakening the Taliban’s defensive lines. Notably, Afghan posts in the Angoor Adda sector suffered heavy damage, with the Afghan Charlie Post and Afghan Babri Post completely destroyed during the exchange of fire.
Sources within the military revealed that Pakistani forces continue to maintain a robust posture in response to the Taliban’s unprovoked aggression. In a notable development, the army captured five Afghan posts in the Paktia region, hoisting the Pakistani flag over the seized positions. These posts included two opposite Shawal, two opposite Angoor Adda, and one opposite Zarmalan, underscoring Pakistan’s determination to assert control over contested border areas.
This recent escalation follows a series of intelligence-driven airstrikes conducted by Pakistan’s security forces in the border regions of Nangarhar, Paktika, and Khost provinces. These operations targeted terrorist camps linked to groups responsible for recent suicide bombings in Islamabad, Bajaur, and Bannu. The camps struck included New Centre No 1 and New Centre No 2 in Nangarhar, Khwariji Maulvi Abbas Centre in Khost, as well as Khwariji Islam Centre and Khwariji Ibrahim Centre in Nangarhar, along with Khwariji Mullah Rahbar and Khwariji Mukhlis Yar in Paktika. These targeted actions were part of Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to dismantle terrorist networks operating across the porous border.
The Afghan Taliban’s unprovoked firing on Wednesday was met with immediate and effective retaliation by Pakistani forces, who quickly silenced the hostile fire. This incident is part of a broader pattern of escalating violence linked to terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Fitna al-Khawarij (FAK), and Daesh affiliates. These groups have orchestrated a series of deadly attacks within Pakistan, heightening security concerns and prompting Islamabad to adopt a firm stance against cross-border militancy.
Pakistan’s government has consistently urged the Afghan Taliban regime to prevent its territory from being used as a safe haven for terrorist organizations. However, Islamabad maintains that the Taliban have yet to abandon their guerrilla mindset, which continues to fuel instability along the border. Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry criticized Afghanistan’s role in the deteriorating security situation, describing it as an irresponsible neighbor and state contributing to regional unrest.
Since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021, Pakistan has witnessed a marked increase in cross-border terrorist activity, particularly in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces. These areas, sharing extensive borders with Afghanistan, have become hotspots for militant infiltration and attacks. The two countries previously clashed in October 2025 when Taliban militants launched unprovoked assaults on Pakistani border posts. That confrontation resulted in the deaths of over 200 Taliban fighters and affiliated militants, while Pakistan mourned the loss of 23 soldiers who sacrificed their lives defending the homeland.
