Pakistan reports killing 29 militants near Afghan border

Pakistani Security Forces Launch Ground Operation and Air Strikes Along Afghan Border

In response to multiple attacks by armed groups across the country, Pakistani security forces have carried out a ground operation and air strikes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. According to officials, 29 fighters were killed in the operation.

The operation targeted hideouts and safe havens of the Pakistan Taliban, according to Minister of Information Attaullah Tarar. The strikes took place in three eastern Afghanistan provinces: Paktia, Paktika, and Kunar. There was no immediate response from Afghan authorities.

On Saturday, fighters armed with guns and explosives attacked the regional headquarters of the paramilitary Rangers in Karachi, killing three soldiers. Security forces responded by killing three attackers and arresting another assailant, identified as an Afghan national in wounded condition. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a breakaway faction of the Pakistan Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack.

The latest operations follow months of tit-for-tat military action between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The two countries have been involved in cross-border fighting since February, resulting in hundreds of deaths. Multiple rounds of internationally mediated peace talks have failed to secure a lasting ceasefire.

In recent weeks, Pakistan has carried out multiple strikes along the border and inside Afghanistan, targeting alleged hideouts of the Pakistan Taliban and other armed groups. The Pakistani government accuses Afghanistan’s Taliban government of harbouring fighters who carry out deadly attacks inside Pakistan.

Source: Al Jazeera