Pakistan's military launched a ground operation along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border on Sunday, killing 29 fighters in what authorities described as a response to multiple militant attacks across the country. The operation targeted hideouts and safe havens of the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), a separate militant group from the Afghan Taliban.
This latest escalation comes after months of tit-for-tat military action between the two countries. Hundreds of people have been killed in cross-border fighting since February, when Afghanistan launched retaliatory strikes after Pakistan carried out airstrikes inside Afghan territory.
The operation has sparked condemnation from the Afghan government, with spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid calling it a "cowardly act of aggression" and an "act of brutality". The Pakistani Taliban have claimed responsibility for recent attacks in Karachi, including one that targeted the regional headquarters of the paramilitary Rangers on Saturday.
Tensions between Islamabad and Kabul have been escalating since Pakistan's military launched airstrikes on what it said were militant hideouts in Afghanistan last month. International efforts to broker a lasting peace have failed, with multiple rounds of talks unable to secure a ceasefire.
**Background**
The Pakistani Taliban are a separate militant group from the Afghan Taliban, although the two are allies. The Afghan Taliban returned to power in neighboring Afghanistan in 2021. Pakistan has accused Afghanistan's Afghan Taliban government of harboring militants who carry out deadly attacks inside Pakistan, especially the TTP. Kabul denies this charge.
This latest operation is part of a broader effort by Pakistan to target militant hideouts and safe havens along its border with Afghanistan. The country has witnessed a surge in militant attacks targeting police and security forces in recent years, with authorities blaming the Pakistani Taliban and allied groups for most of the violence.