Pakistan Launches Airstrikes In Afghanistan Targeting 3 Provinces Following Karachi Attack On Rangers HQ

Islamabad: In another escalation of tensions, Pakistan has carried out joint airstrikes inside Afghanistan, targeting locations in 3 eastern provinces. According to official claims, the operation, conducted by the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Air Force, struck sites in Paktika, Paktia and Kunar provinces of Afghanistan late at night. 

The strikes come a day after an attack on the Pakistan Rangers headquarters in Karachi, an incident that has heightened security concerns across the country. The Pakistani government has not formally established a direct operational link between the two events, but the timing of the cross-border action has drawn immediate attention.

Islamabad stated that the aerial operation was aimed at militant hideouts believed to be involved in attacks against Pakistan. The Pakistani officials stated that the joint strikes were launched at three separate locations inside Afghan territory.

Strikes Target 3 Afghan Provinces

The Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Air Force conducted coordinated strikes at designated sites in Paktika, Paktia and Kunar provinces of Afghanistan. As per the officials in Pakistan, the operation specifically targeted locations in these three regions.

According to Pakistani claims, the action resulted in the deaths of “25 terrorists”. No independent verification of the casualty figures or the identities of those killed was available at the time of publishing this news.

The areas of Paktika, Paktia and Kunar lie along Afghanistan’s eastern border with Pakistan and have long been cited by Islamabad as areas where anti-Pakistan terrorist groups maintain a presence.

Operation Follows Attack In Karachi

The cross-border strikes were launched a day after an attack on the Pakistan Rangers headquarters in Karachi. The attack on the paramilitary facility has prompted a heightened security posture and focus on terrorist networks.

The defence officials have framed the airstrikes as part of Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to counter cross-border terrorism. Further details regarding damage assessments, the specific groups targeted, or any response from Afghan defence forces have not been released. The situation remains fluid as both capitals assess the aftermath of the strikes.

Attack On Pakistan Rangers Headquarters In Karachi Leaves 6 Dead

Earlier, on Saturday, an attack on the Pakistan Rangers headquarters in Karachi claimed the lives of 6 people, among them 3 paramilitary troopers. The incident took place at the facility in the city’s Saddar area, where security personnel were stationed. The rescue teams and law enforcement officers rushed to the site as smoke was seen rising from the compound and gunfire was reported in the vicinity.

The security personnel cordoned off the area shortly after the assault and began a search operation to secure the premises and trace those responsible. The 3 Rangers personnel killed were on duty at the time, while 3 others were the suspects, who allegedly carried out the attack on the headquarters. Pakistan confirmed the fatalities and said an investigation had been opened to ascertain how the assailants breached security and to identify the group behind the violence.

As per reports, while no group had immediately issued a verified claim of responsibility for Saturday's attack on the Pakistan Rangers headquarters in Karachi, the Pakistani agencies typically examine the possibility of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) involvement, given the group’s history of targeting paramilitary and military sites. The investigations into such incidents often focus on cross-border militant networks based in Afghanistan’s eastern provinces, areas that Islamabad has repeatedly cited as safe havens for TTP fighters.