Pakistan executed precise air strikes against militant camps and hideouts along the Afghanistan border, destroying three key targets and killing 28 militants, including several suicide bombers, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting announced on Monday.
The ministry further stated that nine militants from a group it identified as ‘Fitna Al Khwarij’—alleged to be an Indian proxy—were killed during a preceding ground operation, with several others wounded. This brings the total militant casualties from both the ground operation and air strikes to 37.
These strikes were launched based on reliable intelligence and focused on locations linked to Fitna Al Khwarij and associated factions. One of the demolished sites was reportedly a training facility for suicide bombers, and large caches of weapons and ammunition stored at these camps were also destroyed.
The air strikes followed an intelligence-driven ground operation carried out by security forces on September 20 in the Kohat and Hangu districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid accused Pakistan of shelling civilian areas in the Kunar and Paktika provinces. He claimed that three civilians—one woman and two men—were killed, and four others, including two women and two men, were injured in these attacks. Mujahid condemned the strikes as acts of aggression and warned of an “appropriate retaliation,” though he did not provide further specifics.
Pakistan’s ministry emphasized that these operations were a response to a series of recent terrorist attacks targeting civilians in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including the Kohat blast on September 18. While Pakistan has consistently advocated for peace and stability in the region, it asserted that protecting its citizens remains its highest priority.
The ministry expressed serious concern over Afghanistan’s ongoing role as a sanctuary for militant activities, highlighting that the threat to Pakistan originates from Afghan territory. It also stressed that the recent strikes specifically targeted militant strongholds and that all possible measures were taken to avoid civilian casualties and collateral damage.
In a significant development, the ministry reaffirmed that Pakistan’s counterterrorism campaign, Ghazab lil Haq, operating under the broader Azm-e-Istehkam framework, will continue vigorously. Security forces and law enforcement agencies remain committed to combating terrorism that is foreign-sponsored and supported within the country.
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