Pakistan’s military has launched a series of retaliatory strikes against Taliban targets in Afghanistan, following a reported cross-border attack. According to security sources, the Pakistani Air Force has destroyed Taliban command centers in the Qandahar province and struck two targets in the Nangarhar province’s Mehamnd Dara district. The security sources further stated that a Taliban shagai post in the Azam Warsak sector was completely destroyed.
The operation, code-named “Ghadar-e-Haq,” has resulted in significant losses for the Taliban, with over 331 fighters and more than 500 wounded, according to Federal Minister for Information, Atta-ur-Rehman Tarar. Additionally, the Pakistani military has destroyed a Taliban post tower near Miran Shah and severely damaged a Jandosor post.
In a statement, Tarar revealed the details of the operation, stating that a total of 163 tanks and armored vehicles were destroyed, 104 Taliban checkpoints were completely destroyed, and 22 checkpoints were taken over by Pakistani forces. Furthermore, Tarar said that 37 locations across Afghanistan were targeted in the air strikes.
The Pakistani government has tightened security measures in major cities, including Islamabad, following the operation. The Foreign Office has advised Pakistani citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Iran, citing security concerns. Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies have arrested 83 undocumented Afghan nationals in various districts, including Islamabad.
In a separate development, the High Court Bar Association elections will be held, with over 32,000 lawyers casting their votes. The weather forecast suggests that Karachi and Lahore may experience a dry spell in the last days of February.
In a related incident, the Pakistan Air Force launched a cross-border operation in the Tora Bora region, targeting an Afghan post and killing four Taliban commanders, including two senior commanders. The Federal Minister for Defense, Khawaja Asif, has warned the Taliban’s Interior Minister, Sirajuddin Haqqani, saying, “You were our guests, you were treated with hospitality, you fought against the Soviet Union with us, we ended your infighting, we brokered peace in Makkah, and what did you get in return? You gave shelter to our killers.”
In a separate development, Iran has launched missile strikes against targets in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, with reports suggesting that American forces were also targeted. The Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, has stated that their military was prepared for the operation.
In a related incident, the Israeli military has announced that it has launched airstrikes against Iranian military targets in western Iran, striking dozens of Iranian military facilities, including missile launchers.
In a statement, the Foreign Office spokesperson, Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri, has refuted the Afghan government’s claim that Pakistan had launched a missile attack on its territory.
