Pakistani security forces conducted a ground operation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border on Sunday. This action was followed by targeted strikes on militant hideouts, resulting in the death of 29 fighters, according to officials.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar stated that the operation was in response to a series of militant attacks across Pakistan. There was no immediate comment from the Afghan government.

In recent years, Pakistan has experienced a rise in militant attacks focused on police and security forces. Authorities attribute most of these incidents to the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), along with allied militant groups.

A paramilitary response in Karachi came after an attack on the Security Rangers compound on Saturday night. Security forces inspected the site and engaged the attackers, resulting in the death of three soldiers. Three militants were killed, while another, identified as an Afghan national, was captured.

Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a faction of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for this attack in Karachi. The recent operation by Pakistan targeted the hideouts and safe havens of the Pakistani Taliban along the Afghan border.

The Pakistani Taliban differs from the Afghan Taliban, despite their alliance. The Afghan Taliban regained power in Afghanistan in 2021, which has affected regional dynamics.

Ongoing Cross-Border Violence

Sunday’s operations happened weeks after Pakistan’s military conducted airstrikes on what they identified as militant hideouts in Afghanistan. This ended a temporary period of calm amidst ongoing tensions and international peace efforts.

Earlier retaliations from Afghanistan in February followed Pakistan’s airstrikes, leading to hundreds of casualties in cross-border conflicts. International mediation has not secured a long-term ceasefire, despite China’s initiative in peace talks.

Since last year, Pakistan has executed multiple operations targeting alleged TTP hideouts near and within Afghanistan. Pakistan accuses Afghanistan’s Taliban government of sheltering militants responsible for attacks in Pakistan, a charge Kabul denies.