Pakistan's military said on Wednesday it intercepted and destroyed four drones launched from Afghanistan into Balochistan, days after Islamabad carried out cross-border strikes against what it described as militant hideouts in eastern Afghanistan, further escalating tensions between the neighbours.
The escalation follows the 29 June terrorist attack on a Pakistan Rangers compound in Karachi.
Pakistan blamed the Karachi attack on Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a faction of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), saying the group operated from Afghan territory. Islamabad said 29 militants were killed in the subsequent operation and later summoned Afghanistan's chargé d'affaires, alleging that Afghan nationals had participated in the attack.
Afghanistan's Taliban administration rejected Pakistan's account, saying the strikes hit residential areas rather than militant targets. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said at least 28 people were killed. Afghan authorities put the civilian death toll at 36 and said more than 160 people were injured. Pakistan has disputed those figures.
According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Afghan Taliban regime launched four "rudimentary drones" across the border into Balochistan on 30 June "as part of their patronisation and support of terrorist outfits operating from inside their controlled territories."
ISPR said "the hostile aerial platforms were immediately picked up by Pakistan's robust air defence network." It added that "demonstrating a high level of operational readiness, the security forces successfully neutralised all four incoming drones using sophisticated countermeasures."
"As a result of the swift and effective response, the hostile attempts were successfully foiled," the military said.
The statement added that such actions by the Afghan Taliban regime appeared to be aimed at misleading the Afghan population, which it said continued to suffer under its rule. "The Taliban should realise that such irresponsible behaviour only adds to the hardships faced by the Afghans," it said.
Afghanistan's Defence Ministry later said its forces had carried out airstrikes against what it described as Daesh positions in Pakistan's Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces, inflicting "heavy casualties and material losses" on the militant group. Deputy spokesperson Siddiqullah Nusrat said the operation was conducted "with great precision" and resulted in "no civilian casualties." Pakistan has not confirmed the Afghan account.
Russia's Foreign Ministry called for an end to the military exchanges. In a statement, it said: "The Russian side urges Islamabad and Kabul to end the armed conflict and resolve disputed issues through political and diplomatic means."
Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan's Taliban administration of allowing the TTP and affiliated militant groups to use Afghan territory to plan attacks inside Pakistan.
The latest developments add to months of strained relations between the neighbours, including border clashes, diplomatic protests and disruptions to cross-border trade, underscoring the security challenges along the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier.
Peace. Prosperity. New political forces. A technology-driven economy. Following Armenia’s parliamentary election, AnewZ took to the streets of Yerev...
At least 11 people have been killed and 19 injured in a fire at an orphanage on the outskirts of the Algerian capital, state media reported. The blaze...
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. T...
Peace. Prosperity. New political forces. A technology-driven economy. Following Armenia’s parliamentary election, AnewZ took to the streets of Yerevan to ask people how they imagine their country five years from now.
At least 11 people have been killed and 19 injured in a fire at an orphanage on the outskirts of the Algerian capital, state media reported. The blaze broke out early on Thursday at the institution in the eastern suburbs of Algiers.
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The operation targeted command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites across multiple locations.
A woman whose husband was sucked out of the window of a plane during a Ryanair flight has recounted pulling her husband to safety. Serbian couple Svetlana Maksimovic and Ljubisa Karovic had just settled into a flight with the airline last week, when a loud bang pierced the hum of engines.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade on all Iranian ports and warned that power plants and bridges could be targeted next week unless Tehran returns to negotiations.
The United States carried out a third consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz as Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iranian shipping and proposed a 20% fee on cargo passing through the strategic waterway.
The death toll from the fire at a live music pub in Bangkok has climbed to 32 after two more victims died from their injuries, according to Thailand's Police Hospital.
Ukraine and Russia exchanged fresh attacks on Tuesday, with Kyiv targeting shipping and energy infrastructure inside Russia while Moscow launched another large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukrainian cities.
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The operation targeted command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites across multiple locations.
The Armenian government has advanced the ratification process for the Framework Agreement on Strategic Cooperation with the United States on the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project, taking the next formal step towards its entry into force.
Azerbaijan and UN-Habitat have signed a cooperation agreement to support sustainable urban development in the East Zangezur Economic Region. The partnership will focus on designing smart, resilient and inclusive settlements in Azerbaijan’s liberated territories.
Azerbaijan is moving to speed up and simplify trade with partner countries along the Middle Corridor by expanding its Single Window information system.
Kyrgyzstan has introduced an indefinite ban on the export of crude oil and petroleum products by road and rail in an effort to prevent fuel shortages and strengthen the country's energy security.
The Iranian Army's Ground Force promised a crushing response to the U.S. after an air raid on its barracks in the southern city of Bampur on Wednesday (15 July) killed seven servicemen and wounded 13 others.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment