Peshawar, Pakistan:
In a rare series of airstrikes, Pakistan conducted targeted attacks on multiple suspected hideouts of the Pakistani Taliban within Afghanistan, resulting in the deaths of at least 15 individuals, including women and children. The strikes took place in a mountainous area in Paktika province, adjacent to the Pakistan border, with local authorities anticipating a rise in the death toll.
The operation also destroyed a training facility and eliminated several insurgents, as reported by Pakistani security officials speaking anonymously to the Associated Press (AP).
This marks the second instance of Pakistan launching attacks on alleged Pakistani Taliban hideouts in Afghan border regions since March. Islamabad frequently accuses the TTP of using Afghan territory to carry out attacks in Pakistan, a claim that Kabul refutes.
About Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was established in 2007 as an umbrella organization comprising various hardline Sunni Islamist groups that had been operating independently in Pakistan. The group emerged following military operations by Pakistan against Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorists in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), a semi-autonomous region in the northwest consisting of seven tribal agencies and six frontier regions.
Under the leadership of Baitullah Mehsud, TTP is primarily based along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border and is estimated to have between 30,000 to 35,000 members. According to the United Nations, TTP’s goal is to overthrow Pakistan’s elected government and establish an emirate based on its interpretation of Islamic law. The group has actively worked to destabilize Pakistan by directly targeting the Pakistani army, assassinating politicians, and carrying out numerous suicide bombings that have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of military personnel, law enforcement officers, and civilians.
Notorious for some of the deadliest attacks in Pakistan, including targeting churches, schools, and the infamous shooting of Malala Yousafzai in 2012, TTP has intensified its assaults on Pakistani security forces and police following the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan in 2021. The group, whose leaders and fighters are now sheltering in Afghanistan, has escalated attacks within Pakistan since November 2022, ending a ceasefire with the government after failed negotiations mediated by Afghanistan.
Response from Kabul
The Afghan Defense Ministry in Kabul condemned the Pakistani airstrikes, alleging that the bombings had resulted in civilian casualties, including women and children, with many of the victims being refugees from Waziristan. The ministry characterized the attacks as a violation of international principles and a flagrant act of aggression.
Reacting to the airstrikes, the Afghan Defense Ministry stated on the X platform that unilateral actions like these are not a solution to any problem and emphasized the right of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to defend its territory. The ministry vowed to respond to what it termed as a cowardly act by Pakistan.
Security expert Syed Muhammad Ali from Islamabad commented that the airstrikes served as a stark warning to the Pakistani Taliban, indicating Pakistan’s resolve to combat the terrorist outfit both domestically and across borders. Ali noted that the strikes were carried out with precision to target only terrorist bases, ensuring minimal civilian casualties.
Timing of the Operation
The airstrikes occurred shortly after Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, visited Kabul for discussions on enhancing bilateral trade and improving relations. During the visit, Sadiq met with Sirajuddin Haqqani, Afghanistan’s acting interior minister, to offer condolences for the recent killing of Haqqani’s uncle, Khalil Haqqani, who died in a suicide bombing claimed by an affiliate of the Islamic State group.
In his interactions with Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, Sadiq discussed various issues and highlighted the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation for regional peace and progress.
