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Pakistan says its security forces killed 29 fighters along Afghan border
Al Jazeera • • general
Key Points:
- Pakistan's security forces conducted ground operations and air strikes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, killing 29 fighters in response to recent deadly attacks targeting police and security forces.
- The operation targeted hideouts of the Pakistan Taliban (TTP) in eastern Afghanistan provinces Paktia, Paktika, and Kunar, following a deadly attack on paramilitary Rangers in Karachi claimed by Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a TTP faction.
- The Pakistan Taliban is distinct from but allied with the Afghan Taliban, who returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021; these operations risk further deteriorating already tense Pakistan-Afghanistan relations.
- The cross-border strikes come amid ongoing tit-for-tat military actions since February, with hundreds killed and multiple failed peace talks, including mediation efforts by China, aimed at ending the conflict.
- Pakistan accuses Afghanistan's Taliban government of harboring militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan, a charge Kabul denies, contributing to the persistent cycle of violence along the border.
