Pakistan has carried out what the Ministry of Information described as “well-planned and calibrated” aerial strikes against terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan, with initial reports indicating that at least 22 militants were killed.
According to a statement issued by the ministry on Thursday, the strikes were conducted under Operation Ghazab lil-Haq and were based on credible intelligence regarding the presence of militants belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij, Fitna al-Hindustan and affiliated groups.
Pakistan says militant hideouts destroyed
The ministry said terrorist camps and hideouts at two locations were targeted during the operation.
“Targets were destroyed with precision,” the statement said, adding that initial information suggested 22 terrorists had been killed.
Large quantities of weapons and ammunition stored at the targeted locations were also destroyed, according to the ministry.
The government said maximum precautions were taken to avoid civilian casualties and collateral damage during the strikes.
“Pakistan has always strived for the maintenance of peace and stability in the region. However, the safety and security of our citizens remains our foremost priority,” the ministry said.
It further claimed that Afghanistan continued to serve as a hub for terrorism and that the threat facing Pakistan emanated from Afghan territory.
The ministry said the counterterrorism campaign, being conducted under the government’s Azm-e-Istehkam initiative, would continue at full pace to eliminate what it described as foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism.
Strikes follow earlier cross-border attacks
The latest strikes come about a week after Pakistan carried out aerial and drone strikes on 10 locations in Afghanistan following attempted drone attacks launched from Afghan territory.
On September 24, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said those strikes targeted locations used to launch and store drones, describing the response as deliberate, precise and proportionate.
The development followed Pakistan’s interception of eight drones that entered its airspace from Afghanistan. Security sources said four drones were shot down near the Torkham border, while four others were brought down in mountainous areas near Kohat.
Pakistan has repeatedly raised concerns with the Afghan Taliban authorities over militant networks and alleged terrorist sanctuaries operating from Afghan soil.
Pakistan strikes 10 Afghan locations after drone intrusion, minister says
Separate operations in Balochistan, North Waziristan
Separately, security forces killed six militants during an intelligence-based operation against Fitna al-Hindustan in Balochistan’s Kachhi district, according to security sources.
The militants were targeted using quadcopters in the Sani area under Operation Radd-ul-Fitan 3, the sources said.
A large quantity of weapons and ammunition was also recovered, while a clearance operation continued in the area to search for any remaining militants.
In North Waziristan, security forces conducted another intelligence-based operation and destroyed several militant hideouts and tunnels, according to security sources.
The sources said a large quantity of explosives was recovered during the operation. Explosive material found during a subsequent search was neutralised with the assistance of the bomb disposal squad.
Multiple militants were also reportedly killed during the operation, they added.
Pakistan, Afghanistan remain at odds over militancy
Pakistan has reported a rise in cross-border militant attacks, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021.
Islamabad has repeatedly called on Kabul to prevent Afghan territory from being used by militant groups to carry out attacks inside Pakistan.
Pakistan maintains that Afghan authorities have not taken sufficient action against groups it holds responsible for attacks on Pakistani security forces and civilians. Kabul has disputed such allegations.
Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq in February 2026, months after the two countries reached a ceasefire agreement in October 2025 following clashes at several points along the border.
Despite multiple rounds of talks, Islamabad and Kabul have yet to resolve their differences, with the presence and activities of militant groups in Afghanistan remaining a major source of tension between the two countries.
