IRIA News

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Pakistan launched coordinated airstrikes and ground operations along its border with Afghanistan on June 29, 2026, saying it killed at least 29 militants in retaliation for a series of deadly attacks inside the country, including an assault on the Pakistan Rangers headquarters in Karachi that claimed the lives of three soldiers.

According to Pakistani authorities, precision strikes targeted militant hideouts in Afghanistan’s eastern provinces of Paktia, Paktika, and Kunar.

Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the operation was aimed at destroying bases used by Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and other militant groups that Pakistan blames for carrying out cross-border attacks.

Tarar said the military operation was launched in response to multiple militant attacks across Pakistan, with particular emphasis on Saturday’s attack in Karachi.

Armed fighters equipped with guns and explosives stormed the regional headquarters of the paramilitary Pakistan Rangers, killing three soldiers before security forces responded.

The military said three attackers were killed during the operation, while another suspect was captured alive despite being wounded. Officials identified the arrested suspect as an Afghan national. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a breakaway faction of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), later claimed responsibility for the Karachi attack.

Pakistan Armed Forces respond to the terrorist attack in Karachi

⚠️Footage of airstrikes in Kunar, Afghanistan #Pakistan #Rangers #ISPR pic.twitter.com/a0BcE7TfHz

— Pakistan Armed Forces News 🇵🇰 (@PakistanFauj) June 28, 2026

Pakistan said the latest cross-border strikes successfully destroyed three militant targets and eliminated at least 29 fighters. The operation also included ground assaults in border areas aimed at dismantling militant infrastructure used to launch attacks inside Pakistan.

Afghanistan Reports Civilian Casualties

The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan strongly condemned the strikes, saying they caused significant civilian casualties.

Afghan officials reported that dozens of civilians were killed or wounded during the attacks across the three eastern provinces. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid described the strikes as a “cowardly act of aggression” and accused Pakistan of violating Afghanistan’s sovereignty.

Kabul has consistently rejected Pakistan’s accusations that Afghan territory is being used as a haven for militants.

Although several terrorist groups are currently operating in the country, Afghan officials maintain that they do not allow armed groups to launch attacks against neighboring countries and argue that repeated Pakistani military operations have resulted in heavy civilian losses.

Pakistan continues to insist that militant organizations continue to operate from Afghan soil and use the border regions to plan and launch attacks against Pakistani security forces and civilians.

Security Situation Continues to Deteriorate

Pakistan has experienced a sharp rise in militant violence over the past several years, with attacks increasingly targeting police, military personnel, and government installations.

Authorities primarily blame Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliated organizations for the growing violence. Although the TTP is separate from Afghanistan’s Taliban government, Pakistani officials say the two groups maintain close ties.

The latest operation targeted Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, which has frequently been linked to the TTP and has claimed responsibility for several high-profile attacks inside Pakistan.

Islamabad argues that military action has become necessary as militants continue to exploit areas across the border to organize attacks despite repeated diplomatic engagements with Kabul.

Tensions Despite Ceasefire Efforts

The latest strikes mark another escalation in the increasingly fragile relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The neighboring countries have exchanged accusations for years over cross-border militancy, but tensions have intensified since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.

📍 PAF Thundered

Pakistan Air Force conducted massive aerial strikes on JuA hideouts in Paktika and Khost in Afghanistan.

The response must be kept going after the Karachi Attack! pic.twitter.com/HSSqKlmfgO

— AM Raad (@Raad_Pak) June 28, 2026

Earlier this year, fighting between the two countries escalated into weeks of intense military confrontation after Pakistan launched airstrikes inside Afghanistan and Afghan forces responded with retaliatory attacks. The clashes left hundreds dead and displaced tens of thousands of people, according to international estimates.

Although both sides agreed to a ceasefire in March, sporadic cross-border attacks have continued. Earlier this month, Pakistan carried out additional airstrikes targeting what it described as militant hideouts inside Afghanistan, ending nearly a month of relative calm.

The border between the two countries has remained largely closed since renewed violence erupted last year, severely affecting trade and movement between the neighboring states.

International Mediation

Several international efforts to reduce tensions have so far failed to produce a lasting solution. China hosted talks between Pakistani and Afghan officials earlier this year and urged both sides to avoid further escalation while seeking a diplomatic resolution.

Despite these efforts, cross-border violence has continued, with both governments maintaining sharply opposing positions over responsibility for the unrest.

Pakistan continues to argue that eliminating militant sanctuaries across the border is essential to its national security. Afghan authorities reject those claims and instead accuse Islamabad of carrying out attacks that disproportionately affect civilians.

The latest military operation comes as Pakistan is also engaged in broader regional diplomacy, including efforts to help mediate tensions in the Middle East.

Pakistani officials maintain that while pursuing diplomatic initiatives abroad, the country must continue taking military action to combat the growing militant threat at home.

With neither Islamabad nor Kabul showing signs of changing their positions, the latest exchange of military action is expected to further strain already tense relations and raise concerns over renewed instability along one of the region’s most volatile borders.