Pakistan says security forces shoot down two drones near Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s security forces shot down two drones in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, the information ministry said on Friday, adding that no military or critical infrastructure was damaged.

The ministry said the drones, which it linked to militants it described as “Fitna al-Khawarij,” were neutralised using modern anti-drone technology.

“Security forces rendered the drones inoperative using advanced techniques,” the ministry said in a statement, adding that debris from the drones caused only minor damage and there were no casualties.

The government also rejected claims by Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities that their forces had carried out a drone strike on a key Pakistani military installation.

“There is no verifiable evidence to support the Taliban regime’s claim,” the information ministry said.

Earlier, Pakistani security sources said drones had been detected near Rawalpindi, adjacent to the capital Islamabad, prompting security measures in parts of the city.

Police had also reported a drone sighting in Islamabad’s Sector I-9, leading to temporary restrictions in the area while authorities assessed the situation.

The incident briefly affected flight operations at Islamabad International Airport, though the Civil Aviation Authority said services were later restored and flights resumed as scheduled.

The development comes amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban government following Pakistani air strikes earlier this week on what Islamabad said were militant-linked installations in Afghanistan.

Kabul has denied that militant groups operate from its territory and has accused Pakistan of targeting civilian sites during the strikes.