Pakistan has carried out strikes on terrorist hideouts along its border with Afghanistan and killed 26 terrorists, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Wednesday.
“In the aftermath of recent terrorist incidents in Pakistan […] precise and calibrated strikes were carried out along Pakistan-Afghanistan border areas on hideouts and safe havens of masterminds and planners belonging to Fitna-al-Khawarij, killing 26 India-sponsored khawarij,” the minister said in a post on X.
“Based on credible intelligence, selective targeting of camps and hideouts was carried out with precision and accuracy,” Tarar said. He elaborated that “four targets were completely destroyed, including a training centre, a hideout, and an ammunition cache and marakiz (centres) belonging to Fitna-al-Khawarij Commander Aleem Khan Khushali and Commander Akhtar Muhammad Jani Khel”.
The Pakistani government uses the term ‘Fitna-al-Khawarij’ to refer to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliates.
Tarar affirmed that Pakistan had “always strived for maintaining peace and stability in the region, but at the same time, the safety and security of our citizens remains our top priority”.
“Our relentless counterterrorism campaign under vision ‘Azm-i-Istehkam’ (as approved by Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan) by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country,” Tarar stated.
He noted that the strikes were carried out in the aftermath of recent terrorist incidents in Pakistan, including Tuesday’s attack on a Federal Constabulary (FC) post in Musa Dara in Peshawar.
Six FC personnel were martyred and four received injuries while responding to an attempt by terrorists to capture the post, which was thwarted by security forces.
The forces killed eight terrorists in retaliatory action, sources said, adding that three personnel had been abducted by the attackers.
Tarar also mentioned “vehicle-borne suicide attacks on a military post in North Waziristan” on June 2, which was foiled, and the May 9 suicide attack on a Bannu post that claimed the lives of 15 police personnel.
Following that incident, Islamabad had issued a “strong demarche” to the Afghan chargé d’affaires.
The minister also mentioned an attack on a police station in Bannu on May 9. Two police personnel were martyred in the incident after law enforcers foiled a suicide attack on Fateh Khel police post.
Separately, a post on the information ministry’s fact-checking account on X responded to a claim made by the Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid alleging civilian casualties from Pakistan’s strikes.
The post stated that the Afghan Taliban spokesperson and associated accounts were “habitual propagandists known for fabricating civilian casualty narratives”.
“It is well known that Afghan Taliban and Fitna-al-Khawarij allow terrorists to co-locate families and other civilians with terrorist infrastructure as collateral insurance,” the post said.
It added that the narrative of collateral damage “cannot prevent defensive measures by Pakistan”, which it said were eliminating “safe havens and logistic support” for terrorists responsible for terrorist activity in Pakistan.
“Pakistan’s targeting is precise and based on confirmed intelligence,” it said. The post also mentioned that the latest precision strikes by Pakistan targeted two terrorist camps.
Separately, at least eight policemen were injured when a group of terrorists ambushed a police team in the Darga Saheedan area within the jurisdiction of Khurrum Police Station in Karak district on Wednesday.
District Police Officer (DPO) spokesperson Shaukat Khan confirmed the attack and said it occurred when a joint team of local police and Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) commandos was conducting a search-and-strike operation in the mountainous region. Terrorists attacked the law enforcement personnel from a hilltop using sophisticated weapons, injuring eight policemen, the spokesperson said.
The official said the injured policemen were immediately shifted to a nearby hospital, where they were reported to be in stable condition and out of danger.
A police vehicle was also damaged in the attack, added the spokesperson.
“We have credible reports that several assailants were killed, and their accomplices injured in an intense exchange of fire,” he claimed. After the attack, an additional police force led by DPO Imran Khan reached the venue and launched a search operation.
“A sanitisation operation is ongoing in the area to neutralise any other terrorists, if found,” the spokesperson added.
He said police had beefed up security and tightened checks at the entry and exit points of the district.