Pakistan’s Retaliatory Strikes Kill Over 200 Taliban and Militants; 23 Soldiers Martyred — ISPR
Rawalpindi: Pakistan’s armed forces carried out major retaliatory operations along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border after unprovoked cross-border attacks from Afghan territory, killing **over 200 Taliban fighters and affiliated militants** and destroying multiple hideouts, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Saturday.
According to the ISPR, **23 Pakistani soldiers embraced martyrdom**, while **29 others sustained injuries** during intense clashes. The statement added that the attacks from Afghan soil were carried out jointly by **Taliban elements and the outlawed group “Fitnat al-Khawarij”** during the night, aiming to destabilize border regions and facilitate terrorism inside Pakistan.
The Pakistani forces responded decisively, inflicting heavy casualties on the attackers and seizing **21 enemy posts** along the border. Multiple Taliban **camps, checkpoints, training centres, and command structures** were destroyed in precision strikes and ground raids.
ISPR emphasized that the Pakistan Army took **maximum precautions to avoid civilian casualties**, focusing only on militant targets. The military described the response as “decisive and proportionate,” reaffirming its commitment to defending Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The statement noted that Pakistan had **repeatedly shared intelligence** with Afghan authorities regarding the presence of terrorist sanctuaries and operatives of *Fitnat al-Khawarij* and *Fitnat al-Hindustan* within Afghanistan.
“Pakistan will not tolerate the treacherous use of Afghan soil for terrorism against our country,” the ISPR said, warning that the recent attacks coincided with the Afghan Foreign Minister’s visit to India — “the region’s largest sponsor of terrorism.”
ISPR urged the Taliban government to take **immediate, verifiable action** against terrorist groups including the **Islamic State (Daesh)** and those aligned with Indian interests. It added that Pakistan would continue to neutralize terrorist threats and exercise its legitimate right of self-defence.
