Pakistan Launches Drone Strikes in Afghanistan, Multiple Casualties Reported

Darwin, 22 February:

Pakistan has carried out drone strikes in Afghanistan following several terrorist attacks, including a suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Islamabad that killed civilians and security personnel.

The strikes targeted alleged hideouts of the Pakistani Taliban in two provinces bordering Pakistan. Several people were reportedly killed and many others injured in the attacks.

In a post on social media platform X early Sunday, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting confirmed the operation.

According to a report by Dawn, Pakistan targeted seven “terrorist camps and hideouts” belonging to the Pakistani Taliban, referred to as “Fitna al Khawarij,” along with affiliated groups and the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP).

The term “Fitna al Khawarij” is used by the state to describe militants of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The ministry stated that the action was taken in response to recent suicide bombings, including the attack on an Imambargah in Islamabad, one attack each in Bajaur and Bannu, and another incident in Bannu during the holy month of Ramadan.

On Monday, a suicide attack in Bajaur killed 11 soldiers and a child. Earlier, on February 6, a suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Islamabad killed 31 people.

The statement further said, “Pakistan has irrefutable evidence that these terrorist activities were orchestrated by Khawarij under the direction of Afghanistan-based leadership and handlers.” It added that the Pakistan Taliban and their affiliated groups, as well as ISKP, had claimed responsibility for the attacks.

According to The Times of India, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the military carried out the “special operation” based on intelligence inputs. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting later confirmed this in a statement on X.

The ministry also said that Pakistan had repeatedly urged the Taliban government in Kabul to take effective measures to prevent armed militant groups from using Afghan territory to carry out attacks.

However, it claimed that the Kabul authorities failed to take “practical steps” in this regard. Pakistan emphasized that it has always sought to maintain peace and stability in the region, prioritizing the safety and security of its citizens.

There was no immediate response from the Taliban government in Afghanistan. However, Afghan sources told Al Jazeera that the strikes were conducted Sunday in two border provinces. A religious school in Paktika province and another location in Nangarhar province were reportedly targeted by drone strikes.

Local Afghan sources told Al Jazeera that at least 17 people were killed in the attacks, with many others injured.