(By Mian Iftikhar Ahmad)
Pakistan retaliatory strikes target Taliban military installations and terrorist training camps across Afghanistan
Pakistan’s retaliatory strikes against terrorist groups operating from Afghanistan have intensified regional tensions after Pakistani security forces reportedly carried out targeted air operations in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktika provinces. According to security sources, the strikes were part of Operation Ghazab-e-Haq, aimed at eliminating cross-border terrorism and dismantling militant infrastructure used for attacks against Pakistan.
Security officials said the Pakistan Air Force conducted precise and intelligence-based strikes on multiple locations in Afghanistan where terrorist groups were allegedly operating. These operations targeted several military installations and training facilities used by militants planning attacks inside Pakistan.
According to Pakistani security sources, Pakistan retaliatory strikes destroyed key Taliban military infrastructure in the Pul-e-Charkhi area of Kabul. Reports indicate that at least one brigade headquarters of the Afghan Taliban regime was completely destroyed, while another brigade-level installation in the capital was also targeted during the operation.
In the southern province of Kandahar, Pakistani forces reportedly carried out extensive strikes on strategic locations linked to militant activities. Sources said that a corps headquarters, a brigade headquarters, an ammunition depot and a logistics base were destroyed in the attacks. These facilities were allegedly being used to train militants and coordinate cross-border operations against Pakistan.
Major operations were also conducted in Paktika province, where several training camps of militant groups were reportedly destroyed. According to security officials, these camps were used for planning attacks inside Pakistan and for training militants in explosives and bomb-making techniques.
Pakistani security sources claim that the strikes resulted in heavy casualties among militants and Taliban personnel. According to Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, a total of 352 Taliban regime personnel and terrorists were killed, while more than 500 others were injured in the operation.
Tarar also stated that Pakistani forces destroyed 104 Afghan check posts and captured 22 during the operation, further weakening militant infrastructure near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar also shared operational details with the media. According to him, the strikes resulted in 435 Taliban personnel killed and 630 injured, while 188 enemy check posts were destroyed and 31 captured. He added that 185 tanks and armored vehicles belonging to militant groups and Taliban forces were also destroyed during the military campaign.
However, Afghan media and officials have presented a different account of the situation. Afghan Taliban government deputy spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat claimed that 110 civilians, including women and children, were killed and 123 others injured in the airstrikes carried out by Pakistan.
Pakistani security officials have rejected these claims, stating that Pakistan’s retaliatory strikes were carefully planned and targeted only terrorist hideouts and military installations, avoiding civilian areas.
Security analysts say the strikes mark one of the most significant cross-border military actions in recent years and highlight the growing tensions between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban government. Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Afghan authorities to prevent militant groups from using Afghan territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan.
According to officials, Operation Ghazab-e-Haq was launched in late February and early March 2026 after intelligence reports indicated increased militant activity along the border.
Pakistan maintains that the objective of the operation is to neutralize terrorist networks, dismantle training camps and eliminate threats to national security.
Experts warn that while Pakistan retaliatory strikes may disrupt militant networks, the ongoing tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan could further complicate regional stability if diplomatic solutions are not pursued alongside military actions.
For more information please visit our National news.