Pakistan says its security forces killed 29 fighters along Afghan border

Pakistan has carried out airstrikes and ground operations targeting militant hideouts in eastern Afghanistan, saying the operation killed 29 terrorists in response to a series of deadly attacks inside Pakistan.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said, "three targets in Paktia, Paktika and Kunar were destroyed during precision strikes", referring to three eastern Afghan provinces.

According to Tarar, the strikes formed part of a wider operation that also included intelligence-based ground operations along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

He said the operation targeted Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a terror group often linked to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Tarar added that the overnight offensive was launched in response to an attack that killed three paramilitary troops in the southern city of Karachi on Saturday, as well as recent violence in Pakistan's border provinces.

Border operations

According to the Associated Press, citing officials, Pakistan's security forces carried out an intelligence-based ground operation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border on Sunday, followed by "calibrated strikes" on militant hideouts, killing 29 terrorists.

Pakistan carried out a series of airstrikes in Afghanistan in recent months, including one earlier this month.

The border between the neighbouring countries has remained largely closed since violence escalated in October, freezing bilateral trade.

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Source: TRT