Armed Forces target Afghan Taliban posts as cross-border tensions escalate

WEB DESK: The military action, Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, was launched in late February as a direct response to what security officials described as unprovoked firing from the Afghan side.

Security sources confirmed on Monday that the strikes specifically targeted infrastructure used by both the Afghan Taliban and the Fitna al-Khawarij the state’s official designation for the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The operation has not been limited to the immediate border. Over the weekend, Pakistani forces conducted overnight strikes in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province, reportedly destroying a technical support hub and an equipment storage facility.

This military push follows a tragic incident in the Bajaur district, where Information Minister Attaullah Tarar reported that four civilians were killed by “deliberate” mortar fire originating from across the Afghan border.

Targeted strikes and civilian casualties

The use of guided missiles marks a stern shift in Pakistan’s tactical approach to border management. Security officials have vowed that the current offensive will persist until all strategic objectives are achieved, citing the need to safeguard the civilian population in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Minister Tarar condemned the Afghan Taliban’s recent actions, stating that the targeting of non-combatants which resulted in the death of four people and the injury of a child was an unacceptable provocation.

The federal government has signalled that it will no longer tolerate the use of Afghan soil as a launchpad for militancy or direct artillery attacks against Pakistani citizens.

Rising insecurity in Bannu district

While the border remains volatile, the interior of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continues to grapple with a wave of targeted violence. In the Bannu district, two local men were abducted and killed in separate incidents on Sunday. Malik Nabiullah, a prominent local figure, was seized in Domel tehsil and later found shot dead, while another young man, Shazeb Khan, was abducted and killed in the Bakakhel area.

Despite these tragedies, police forces managed to prevent further bloodshed by thwarting a midnight raid on the Fatah Khel police post. Using thermal imaging technology, officers detected suspicious movements and engaged the attackers, forcing them to retreat.

This follows a string of recent assaults in Bannu, including a raid on a mosque last month where two police officers were abducted and murdered.