‘Pakistan struck terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan’s Kandahar’

Islamabad: Pakistan on Sunday said security forces hit terrorist positions and military targets in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province in overnight strikes.

Pakistan launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq on Feb 26 in response to alleged attacks by the Afghan Taliban forces at 53 locations along the 2,600-km-long border. In a social media post, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar confirmed the military action in Kandahar and shared its footage.

“On night March 14/15, Pakistan Armed Forces targeted military installations, including terrorist hideouts of Afghan Taliban and Fitna al-Khawarij,” he said.

Fitna al-Khawarij is a term the state uses to refer to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

“In these attacks, Pakistan’s forces also destroyed technical support infrastructure and equipment storage facility, in Kandahar, that was being used by Afghan Taliban and terrorists against innocent Pakistani civilians,” the minister said. Tarar said the footage showed “precision engagement by Pakistan on those installations and terrorist camps”. “No civilian population or infrastructure was targeted as falsely propagated by Afghan regime officials and media,” he asserted.

Tarar said at least 684 Afghan Taliban personnel have been killed so far, and more than 912 have been injured in the ongoing operations.

Providing an update on the losses of the Taliban, he said 252 posts have been destroyed, and another 44 were captured and destroyed.