Pakistan on Tuesday conducted airstrikes targeting multiple suspected hideouts of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Paktika province of Afghanistan. The strikes, which resulted in at least 15 fatalities, including women and children, also dismantled a training facility, according to Pakistani security officials speaking to the Associated Press (AP) on condition of anonymity. The death toll is expected to rise, as per local Afghan authorities.
Background on the Airstrikes
This marks the second such attack by Pakistan on alleged TTP hideouts within Afghan territory since March. Islamabad has long accused the TTP of using Afghan soil to launch attacks within Pakistan, a claim consistently denied by Kabul. The targeted area lies in the mountainous Paktika province near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Syed Muhammad Ali, an Islamabad-based security expert, stated that the airstrike serves as “a clear and blunt warning to the Pakistani Taliban that Pakistan will use all available means against the terrorist outfit both inside and outside its borders.” He added, “Due care was taken by Pakistan in ensuring that only terrorist bases were hit and no civilian loss of life and property took place.”
Who Is the TTP And Are They Connected To Afghanistan?
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was established in 2007 as a coalition of various hardline Sunni Islamist groups operating independently in Pakistan. Formed under the leadership of Baitullah Mehsud, the TTP emerged after Pakistan’s military operations against Al-Qaeda-related terrorists in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
With an estimated 30,000–35,000 members, the TTP’s stated goal is to overthrow Pakistan’s elected government and establish an Islamic emirate. The United Nations has documented the group’s role in destabilizing Pakistan through attacks on military, law enforcement, and civilian targets. These include suicide bombings and high-profile incidents such as the shooting of Malala Yousafzai in 2012 and attacks on schools and churches.
Afghanistan Response
The TTP’s activities intensified following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, which emboldened the group. In November 2022, the TTP ended a ceasefire with the Pakistani government after months of failed negotiations hosted by Afghanistan’s government in Kabul. Since then, the group has escalated its attacks, causing significant casualties among Pakistani soldiers and police.
The Afghan Defense Ministry strongly condemned the airstrikes, asserting that they primarily targeted civilians, including women and children, many of whom were refugees from Pakistan’s Waziristan region.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan considers this a brutal act against all international principles and blatant aggression and strongly condemns it,” the ministry stated.
Diplomatic Developments
In a post on X, the Afghan defense ministry warned that unilateral measures by Pakistan are not a viable solution. “The Islamic Emirate will not leave this cowardly act unanswered but rather considers the defense of its territory to be its inalienable right,” it said.
The airstrikes occurred just hours after Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, visited Kabul for discussions on enhancing bilateral trade and improving relations. During his visit, Sadiq met Sirajuddin Haqqani, Afghanistan’s acting interior minister, to offer condolences over the December 11 assassination of Khalil Haqqani, a key Afghan minister, in a suicide bombing claimed by an Islamic State affiliate.
In a statement on X, Sadiq confirmed meeting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, saying, “We held wide-ranging discussions and agreed to work together to further strengthen bilateral cooperation as well as for peace and progress in the region.”
Also Read: Bangladesh And Pakistan Strengthen Maritime Ties With Arrival Of Second Cargo Ship
