Pakistan carries out precision strikes on Kabul, Kandahar

ISLAMABAD/RAWALPINDI: Security forces killed over 35 Fitna al-Khawarij members in separate actions in the border regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as the Afghan Taliban continue their aggression amid their growing ties with India — a country ruled by Hindu nationalist BJP, as Pakistan also carried out precision strikes on Kabul and Kandahar.

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These Khawarij — the term used to described terrorist organisations like TTP, Daesh and others — were eliminated in Mohmand and North Waziristan.

At the same time, Pakistan’s armed forces utilising land and aerial assets continued carrying precision strikes inside Afghanistan after the Afghan Taliban and the terrorist groups they are housing in their territory after they launched an unprovoked attack in Kurram on Tuesday night, triggering a swift response.

Read more: Afghan Taliban suffer huge losses after initiating gunfire in Kurram

However, Pakistan and Afghan Taliban agreed to a 48-hour ceasefire on the request of the regime in Kabul as the Foreign Office said both sides would try to find “a positive solution to this complex but solvable issue” during this period. The temporary ceasefire came into effect at 6pm on Tuesday.

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Earlier, the Afghan Taliban after facing the humiliation in Kurram used similar tactics at different spots along the border in Balochistan, which forced Pakistan to carry out precision strikes at their bases and terrorist camps across the western border. Dozens of Taliban and their associates are reportedly killed in the process.

Tuesday also saw Sohail Afridi taking oath as the new Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister — a staunch supporter of PTI founder who is openly opposing military operation against terrorists despite the Afghan Taliban’s aggression against Pakistan.

THE TARGETS IN KABUL AND KANDAHAR

Meanwhile, the target of these precision strikes in Kabul were a centre and leadership of Fitna -al-Hindustan — the terrorist groups backed by India — as they promised that the armed forces were fully capable of responding to any aggression.

As far as Kandahar is concerned, Pakistan destroyed the headquarters of Afghan Taliban’s battalions 4 and 8 while also targeting the Border Brigade 5.

About the nature of these precision strikes, security sources said they had selected the targets carefully which were located away from civilian population.

WHAT HAPPENED IN MOHMAND AND NORTH WAZIRISTAN?

The Afghan Taliban, after the humiliation they faced at the hands of Pakistan’s armed forces, planned a border intrusion in the Turangzai area of Mohmand, a border district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

However, a prompt action by security forces resulted in the killing of 30 Khawarij as the security sources said the death toll would increase amid the ongoing operation.

And a day earlier on Monday, Pakistan killed seven Khawarij in the Abakhel area of North Waziristan, who were planning terrorist attacks in the region.

FALSE CLAIMS, LIES AND DECEIT

The Afghan Taliban in an attempt to please the support base spread the false claim that they captured a Pakistani tank — a notion impossible on the ground given that Pakistan did not need to force the entry of tanks inside Afghanistan given the firepower it has.

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In this connection, the security sources clarified that the videos circulating on social media were fake as the Russian-made T-55 tanks are in the use of Afghan Taliban and Pakistan doesn’t have these.