ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s security forces killed 29 militants during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) and subsequent precision strikes targeting militant hideouts along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Sunday.
In a statement posted on X, Tarar said the operations were launched in response to recent terrorist attacks targeting civilians in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and a Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) camp in Karachi.
According to the minister, security forces carried out a planned intelligence-led ground operation in Bajaur district on June 28 against militants affiliated with Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and Fitna al-Khawarij. The operation resulted in the killing of four militants, including alleged high-value commander Khan Farosh, also known as Zabal, while several others were injured.
Tarar said the operation was followed by overnight precision strikes conducted between June 28 and 29 under Operation Ghazab lil-Haq against militant camps and hideouts in the border regions of Paktia, Paktika and Kunar.
He said three militant facilities were destroyed during the strikes, killing 25 militants and destroying large quantities of weapons and ammunition stored at the sites.
The minister said Pakistan remained committed to regional peace and stability but would continue taking action to protect its citizens from terrorism. He added that counterterrorism operations under the Azm-e-Istehkam strategy would continue to target militant networks.
Pakistan has witnessed an increase in militant attacks, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since 2021. Cross-border security tensions have also persisted despite multiple rounds of diplomatic engagement between Islamabad and Kabul.