Pakistan Strikes Back After Deadly TTP Attacks on Soldiers
Pakistani Air Force Strikes TTP Hideouts Along Afghanistan-Pakistan Border
Islamabad: The Pakistani Air Force (PAF) has launched airstrikes on hideouts belonging to the terrorist group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in the border regions of Afghanistan and Pakistan. According to multiple media reports, PAF fighter jets targeted TTP positions on both sides of the border in a coordinated attack. The operation, carried out in at least three different locations, involved six fighter jets, including F-17 and JF-17 aircraft.
Despite these reports, Islamabad has not officially commented on the airstrikes.
15 TTP Fighters Killed
The strikes resulted in the bombing of multiple TTP hideouts, reportedly killing between 12 and 15 Pakistani Taliban militants. However, these figures are based on preliminary assessments and may be subject to updates. The airstrikes come in response to a recent TTP attack that claimed the lives of several Pakistani soldiers, including a 21-year-old army lieutenant.
Tragic Civilian Casualties
In a tragic turn of events, at least eight members of a single family, including a woman and a child, were killed during the strikes. According to Kabul Frontline, the attack took place in a village in South Waziristan, a region along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Initial reports mistakenly suggested the bombing occurred in Afghanistan’s Paktika province, but later clarifications confirmed that it happened within Pakistani territory.
Local Leader Killed in Drone Strike
Meanwhile, Khorasan Diary, citing official sources, reported that a local leader of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group was killed in a drone strike in Shaktu, located in northern South Waziristan. The group acknowledged the death in a condolence message. However, it remains unclear whether this strike was part of the PAF operation or an unrelated attack.
The recent escalation highlights the ongoing tensions and the Pakistani military’s aggressive stance against militant strongholds in the border regions.