ISLAMABAD - In a decisive counterterrorism operation, Pakistani security forces have conducted a massive ground assault and coordinated air strikes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, delivering a crushing blow to Indian-sponsored terrorist networks operating from Afghan soil.
The operation, launched in retaliation for the June 27 attack on a Pakistan Rangers camp in Karachi, has killed 25 militants belonging to the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar group in precision strikes inside Afghanistan's Paktia, Paktika, and Kunar provinces .
According to Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, security forces first conducted an intelligence-based ground operation near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Bajaur district on June 28. The operation eliminated four terrorists, including a high-value commander identified as Khan Farosh alias Zabal - the mastermind behind the Karachi Rangers attack .
In a follow-up action carried out under Operation Ghazb Lil Haq, Pakistani forces conducted precision strikes during the night of June 28-29 against militant hideouts and training facilities located in border regions adjacent to Paktia, Paktika, and Kunar provinces .
The strikes reportedly destroyed three major militant targets and killed 25 terrorists associated with Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and Fitna al-Khwarij (Pakistan's term for the Pakistani Taliban). Large caches of weapons, ammunition, and logistical supplies stored at the compounds were also destroyed .
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Terrorists killed (ground operation) | 4 (including commander Khan Farosh) |
| Terrorists killed (air strikes) | 25 |
| Total eliminated | 29 |
| Targets destroyed | 3 training facilities and hideouts |
| Provinces struck | Paktia, Paktika, Kunar |
The operation was launched in retaliation for a June 27, 2026, attack on the Pakistan Rangers' provincial headquarters in Karachi. Militants rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the compound, killing three Rangers personnel and injuring several others .
Security forces killed three attackers and captured a fourth - identified as an Afghan national - in injured condition . The captured suspect's Afghan nationality confirms the cross-border nature of the terror network, operating from Afghan soil under foreign patronage .
Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a breakaway faction of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the Karachi attack .
Pakistan's military and intelligence agencies have identified the TTP and its affiliates as Indian-sponsored proxy networks. The presence of an Afghan national among the captured terrorists confirms the role of Afghan soil as a staging ground for terror attacks directed by Indian intelligence agencies.
At the United Nations Security Council, Pakistan's representative has consistently exposed India's state-sponsored terrorism, stating that "India's state-sponsorship of terrorism against Pakistan is not abstract; it has a human cost" .
Despite the elimination of Indian-backed terrorists, international media outlets - including BBC and Al Jazeera - remain largely silent on the cross-border terrorism emanating from Afghanistan . However, the moment Pakistan conducts precision strikes on terrorist infrastructure, these outlets initiate full-blown propaganda campaigns.
The Afghan Taliban regime, through its spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, has falsely claimed that Pakistan's strikes killed 13 civilians, including 11 children . Pakistan has rejected these claims, stating that the strikes were "precise and targeted" at militant hideouts and camps .
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabi noted: "As for allegations of civilian casualties, we would also need to understand the methodology used to assess them" .
Pakistan's relentless counterterrorism campaign under Azm-e-Istehkam continues at full pace to wipe out the menace of foreign-sponsored terrorism from the country . The elimination of Commander Khan Farosh and the dismantling of the Karachi terror network is a testament to the professionalism, intelligence capabilities, and operational readiness of Pakistan's security forces.
