ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s military said Friday it killed 274 members of the Afghan Taliban regime and destroyed 150 tanks and armored vehicles along with 73 border posts during a major cross-border offensive named Operation Ghazab lil-Haq.
Speaking at a press conference, Inter-Services Public Relations Director-General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had been briefed on the operation before the announcement.
The military said the strikes were launched on the night of Feb. 21–22 after Afghan Taliban forces opened fire at 53 locations across 15 sectors along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Pakistani forces targeted 22 locations in Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia, Nangarhar and Khost, including what officials described as brigade headquarters and militant hideouts.
Chaudhry said 18 Taliban posts were now under Pakistan’s control and more than 400 Taliban personnel were wounded. He denied civilian casualties, calling such claims “false propaganda.”
Twelve Pakistani soldiers were killed, 27 wounded and one reported missing, he said.
The escalation comes amid strained ties since the return of the Taliban in 2021. Islamabad has repeatedly accused Kabul of harboring militants from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, while Afghan authorities deny allowing cross-border attacks.
Russia, Turkey, China and Malaysia urged restraint and called for dialogue to prevent further escalation.
