Islamabad, Pakistan – The Pakistani navy performed air raids in neighbouring Afghanistan late on Tuesday night time, concentrating on hideouts of the Pakistan Taliban, identified by the acronym TTP, armed group in Paktika province, based on safety officers.
While no official assertion was issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs or navy media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), sources confirmed to Al Jazeera that the assaults happened within the Barmal district of Afghanistan, close to Pakistan’s South Waziristan tribal district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
The interim Afghan authorities, dominated by the Taliban, additionally confirmed the assaults however insisted that civilians had been focused. The Taliban spokesperson’s workplace instructed Al Jazeera that no less than 46 individuals, together with girls and kids, have been amongst these killed in air raids.
“The Pakistani facet ought to perceive that such arbitrary measures should not an answer to any drawback,” Enayatullah Khowarazami, spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Defence Ministry, wrote on social media platform X. “The Islamic Emirate won’t go away this cowardly act unanswered and considers the protection of its territory an inalienable proper,” he added, referring to Afghanistan by the title given by the Taliban authorities.
The air raids, which have been performed for the second time this yr, got here simply hours after Pakistan’s particular consultant for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadi, met interim Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul.
“Met Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi as we speak. Held wide-ranging discussions. Agreed to work collectively to additional strengthen bilateral cooperation and promote peace and progress within the area,” Sadiq posted on X.
Sadiq’s go to to Kabul, which additionally included a gathering with Afghan interim Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani on Monday, happened amid deteriorating relations between the 2 neighbours, and ties are more likely to sink additional following the Tuesday night time assaults, say analysts.
Increasing assaults
Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Afghan authorities of harbouring armed teams, particularly the TTP, which it claims carries out cross-border assaults concentrating on Pakistani safety forces.
Last week, TTP fighters claimed accountability for killing no less than 16 Pakistani troopers in South Waziristan in one of many deadliest current assaults on safety personnel.
While the Taliban denies offering refuge to armed teams or permitting their territory for use for cross-border assaults, Pakistan asserts that the TTP conducts its operations from Afghan sanctuaries.
During a United Nations Security Council briefing final week, Pakistan stated 1000’s of Pakistan Taliban fighters have sought shelter in Afghanistan.
“The TTP, with 6,000 fighters, is the most important listed terrorist organisation working in Afghanistan. With protected havens near our border, it poses a direct and each day menace to Pakistan’s safety,” Pakistani diplomat Usman Iqbal Jadoon stated on the UN briefing.
Data signifies an increase in assaults and deaths, significantly in Pakistan’s restive northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and southwestern Balochistan province, each of which border Afghanistan.
According to Pakistan’s Interior Ministry, greater than 1,500 violent incidents within the first 10 months of this yr have resulted in no less than 924 deaths. Among the casualties have been no less than 570 regulation enforcement personnel and 351 civilians.
The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), an Islamabad-based analysis organisation, reported greater than 856 assaults to date in 2024, surpassing the 645 incidents recorded in 2023.
Risk of retaliation
Pakistan maintains that it has repeatedly shared proof with the Taliban relating to TTP operations however claims these considerations haven’t been adequately addressed.
The Pakistani authorities launched a navy marketing campaign, Azm-e-Istehkam (Resolve for Stability), in June, and safety analyst Amir Rana believes that the most recent air raids are probably a part of this operation.
“Discussions inside navy circles have targeted on conducting offensives on Afghan soil after the current surge in assaults towards safety personnel. These strikes look like triggered by final week’s assaults on troopers,” Rana instructed Al Jazeera.
Rana, who can be the director of Islamabad-based safety assume tank Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS), additional says the Kabul go to by Sadiq, Pakistani particular consultant to Afghanistan, won’t be related to Tuesday’s air raids.
“Sadiq’s go to was extra about conveying the federal government message to share its apprehensions about rising assaults by TTP networks which function from Afghanistan, and was probably a trust-building train,” he added.
Ihsanullah Tipu, an Islamabad-based safety analyst, stated Pakistan has performed no less than 4 air raid operations on TTP hideouts in Afghanistan over the previous few years.
However, Tipu added {that a} critical flaw in Pakistan’s Afghanistan coverage was its “inconsistent method”.
“Historically, Pakistan’s method has been personality-driven moderately than strategy-driven. Actions corresponding to cross-border air strikes ought to be a part of a complete and well-planned coverage as a substitute of reactive measures,” Tipu, who can be a co-founder of The Khorasan Diary, a safety analysis portal, instructed Al Jazeera.
Tipu additionally steered that whereas the Afghan authorities has promised retaliation, the true response could come from the Pakistan Taliban.
“The precise response could come from the Pakistani Taliban, who’ve been discussing revenge assaults of their inside communications already, alleging that the strikes killed their girls and kids,” he stated.
Rana from PIPS stated such cross-border assaults have gotten a norm globally, and it was unlikely that Pakistan would face any criticism or penalties from the worldwide group for the air raids.
“But this additionally presents an enormous problem to us, and a matter to introspect, that regardless of 4 many years of engagement in Afghanistan, we nonetheless haven’t developed diplomatic abilities to carry dialogue with rulers in Afghanistan, whoever it is likely to be, in a constructive method,” Rana stated.
Tipu, in the meantime, emphasised that the TTP subject remained an enormous impediment to Pakistan-Afghanistan relations.
“With Sadiq’s reappointment as particular envoy, there have been hopes for détente between the 2 international locations. However, Tuesday’s strikes could considerably hinder any progress earlier than it formally begins,” he stated.
