Pakistan’s retaliatory 7 strikes operation targets terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan

In a significant escalation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, Pakistan on Sunday conducted targeted strikes on at least seven terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan, following a series of deadly attacks on its soil. The move comes after a suicide attack in Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa , on Saturday, which claimed the lives of an army lieutenant colonel and a soldier.

According to Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting , the recent attacks including incidents at a Shiite mosque in Islamabad , and in Bajaur and Bannu were allegedly carried out by Khwarij networks , the state’s term for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), under direction from Afghanistan-based leadership and handlers . Responsibility for some attacks was also claimed by the Afghanistan-based Pakistani Taliban faction Fitna-al-Khwarij (FAK) and the Islamic State’s Khorsan Province (ISKP).

The ministry stated that Pakistan repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban to take verifiable action against groups using Afghan territory to launch cross-border attacks. With no substantive measures taken, Pakistan executed intelligence-driven, precision strikes on terrorist camps and hideouts in the border regions, targeting FAK and ISKP operatives. The government emphasized that while Pakistan has consistently pursued regional peace, the safety and security of its citizens remains its top priority .

Pakistan also called on the interim Afghan government and the international community to uphold commitments under the Doha Agreement , which obligates the Afghan administration to prevent its territory from being used for attacks on other nations.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan condemned the strikes , describing them as a “ clear violation ” of national sovereignty, international law, and principles of good neighbourliness. The Afghan Defence Ministry claimed the attacks targeted civilian and religious sites and highlighted them as evidence of security lapses within Pakistan . Afghanistan warned that it would deliver a “necessary and measured response” to such aggressions, reaffirming its right to defend territorial integrity.

Relations between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban have deteriorated amid repeated accusations that Kabul has failed to prevent terrorists from using Afghan soil to target Pakistan. In October 2025, the two sides briefly clashed in an armed confrontation, resulting in the deaths of 23 Pakistani soldiers and over 200 Afghan Taliban fighters.

The latest developments mark a new chapter in tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border , underscoring the fragility of security in the region and the challenges of combating cross-border terrorism.