‘Retaliatory’ attacks from Afghanistan repulsed

ISLAMABAD: Security forces killed over 15 Khwarij and Afghan Taliban while responding to their unprovoked firing after multiple foiled attempts of infiltration into Pakistan early Saturday, sources said.

The sources said that 20 to 25 Khwarij, while using the border posts of Afghan Taliban, made attempts to enter Pakistan’s territory from two places in Kurram and North Waziristan on the night of December 27 and 28.

Pakistan security forces personnel took timely action and foiled both attempts of infiltration. However, Khwarij made another attempt to enter Pakistan while using border posts of Afghan Taliban but they could not succeed in their design.

On that, both Afghan Taliban and Khwarij started unprovoked firing with heavy weapons on Pakistani posts which was responded effectively. “There are reports of heavy losses on the Afghan side which may increase,” the sources. According to credible reports, as a result of effective response from Pakistani forces, 15 Khwarij and Afghan Taliban were killed and many others were injured. The Afghan Taliban also fled leaving their posts due to heavy firing. No loss of lives was reported on the Pakistan side and only three Jawans were injured.

The security sources said that Pakistan time and again had requested the Afghan interim government that it should not allow Khwarij to use its soil against the neighbour. However, instead of taking required action, the Afghan Taliban have been facilitating Khwarij to continue their activities inside Pakistan.

The sources said that Fitna-Al-Khwarij exists in Afghanistan with full freedom and is continuing anti-Pakistan activities. “Pakistani security forces are fully capable of giving effective response to any aggression against the country,” the security sources said.

Local residents have started migrating to safer places owing to the ongoing firing from the Afghanistan side in the border areas of Kurram district.

According to sources, firing continued from the Afghan side in the border areas of Borki, Kharlachi and Maqbal in Kurram district in which an FC official, identified as Lance Naik Ainullah, has been martyred.

They said that seven other FC men were injured due to cross-border firing from Afghanistan.

However, they added, the Pakistani forces launched a strong retaliatory operation against the attackers. The local residents from border areas have begun to evacuate to safer places.

This year, residents of border villages have been forced to leave their homes three times due to attacks originating from Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, the Taliban Ministry of Defence said in a post on social media platform X, “Several points beyond the hypothetical line, serving as centers and hideouts for malicious elements and their supporters who organised and coordinated attacks in Afghanistan, were targeted in retaliation from the southeastern direction of the country.”

The statement did not specifically referred to Pakistan, instead saying the strikes took place “beyond the hypothetical line” — a term used by Afghan authorities to refer to the long disputed border with Pakistan.