796 Afghan Taliban killed, 286 checkposts destroyed in Operation Ghazab Lil Haq so far: Tarar
A Pakistani army soldier stands guard on a border terminal in Ghulam Khan, a town in North Waziristan, on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Photo: AFP
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Sunday that 796 Afghan Taliban operatives have been killed and more than 1,043 injured during the ongoing "Operation Ghazab Lil Haq", launched in response to “unprovoked action” from across the Afghan border.
The operation resumed following a temporary pause in deference to Eidul Fitr celebrations and requests from Islamic countries. The pause concluded at midnight between March 23 and 24. The operation was launched over a month ago in retaliation for the Afghan Taliban forces' firing on multiple locations. Islamabad said its February air strikes that sparked the escalation were targeting terrorists. Islamabad accused Afghanistan of failing to act against terrorist groups that carry out attacks in Pakistan, which the Taliban government rejected.
Providing a summary of the Afghan Taliban regime’s losses on his X account, the information minister said that 286 check posts had been destroyed and 44 others captured by Pakistani security forces.
“Two hundred and forty-nine tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery guns have also been destroyed during the operation,” he said.
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The minister added that air strikes effectively targeted 81 locations across Afghanistan.
"As part of these operations on night 2/3 April, an attempt to physically attack a border post in Ghulam Khan Sector by Afghan Taliban/FAK (Fitna al-Khawarij) was comprehensively foiled in which they suffered heavy casualties, including up to 37 sent to hell and 80+ injured," Tarar said.
China, which shares a western border with both nations, has been trying to mediate between the allies turned foes, holding telephone calls with their foreign ministers and sending a special envoy on visits in March.
It said on Friday that negotiations between the two were advancing steadily, following reports that the neighbours were meeting in China to try to end their worst conflict since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
"Both Pakistan and Afghanistan attach importance to, and welcome, China's mediation, and are willing to sit down for talks again, which is a positive development," foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a daily press conference.
The fighting between Pakistan and Afghanistan that started in October has killed scores of people on both sides, with Afghans taking the brunt.
Islamabad accuses the Afghan Taliban of harbouring militants who launch attacks in Pakistan, although Kabul denies this, calling the militancy its neighbour's domestic problem.