Pakistan Launches Cross-Border Operation, Claims 29 Militants Killed Near Afghanistan Border

Pakistan has launched a major military operation along its border with Afghanistan, claiming that 29 militants were killed during a combination of ground action and targeted airstrikes. The operation comes as Pakistan continues to face a sharp rise in militant attacks targeting security personnel and follows another deadly assault in Karachi just a day earlier.

The latest action is expected to further increase tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, whose relations have remained strained over cross-border militancy.

Military Targets Militant Hideouts

According to Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, security forces carried out a ground operation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border before launching what he described as "calibrated strikes" on militant hideouts and safe havens.

In a post on X, the minister said the operation was launched in response to multiple militant attacks carried out across the country in recent weeks.

Pakistani authorities said 29 militants were killed during the operation. There has been no immediate response from the Afghan government regarding the latest military action.

Breaking: Pakistan Air Force has conducted strikes on terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan, targeting militants linked to recent attacks in Pakistan. Reports of multiple strikes in areas like Paktika and Khost. Some unconfirmed claims of ground operations emerging. #Pakistan… pic.twitter.com/KRcFxKawOh

— Rizwan (@Rizwan_901) June 28, 2026

Pakistan has witnessed a steady increase in attacks on police and security forces over the past few years. Officials have blamed the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban, along with its allied militant groups, for many of these attacks.

Although the Pakistani Taliban and the Afghan Taliban are separate organisations, Pakistan says they maintain close links. Islamabad has repeatedly accused Afghanistan's Taliban-led government of providing shelter to TTP fighters operating against Pakistan.
The Afghan government has consistently denied these allegations.

Karachi Attack Triggered Fresh Action

The border operation comes just one day after militants attacked the regional headquarters of the Pakistan Rangers in Karachi. Armed with guns and explosives, the attackers targeted the security installation, killing three soldiers.

Pakistan's security forces later killed three attackers and arrested another injured suspect, who the military claimed was an Afghan national.
The militant group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a faction that split from the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the Karachi attack.

Cross-Border Tensions Continue

Sunday's military operation took place less than three weeks after Pakistan carried out airstrikes targeting what it described as militant hideouts inside Afghanistan.
Those strikes ended nearly a month of relative calm between the two neighbouring countries.

Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have remained tense for months as both sides have exchanged accusations over cross-border attacks.

Since February, repeated military actions by both countries have resulted in hundreds of deaths, further deepening mistrust along the border.

Peace Efforts Have Yet to Succeed

Several rounds of international peace talks have failed to produce a lasting ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

China also hosted discussions between the two countries earlier this year. Following those talks, Beijing said both governments had agreed to avoid further escalation and work towards a peaceful solution.

Despite these diplomatic efforts, military confrontations have continued, with Pakistan carrying out several operations targeting alleged TTP hideouts along the border and inside Afghan territory.