Pakistan carried out intelligence-based air strikes in Afghanistan overnight, destroying seven centres of Fitna al-Khawarij and the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), security sources said.
The strikes took place in the provinces of Nangarhar, Paktika and Khost, where more than 80 khawarij were killed during the operation. According to security sources, the destroyed facilities included New Centre Number One in Nangarhar, New Centre Number Two in Nangarhar, the centre of Khariji Maulvi Abbas in Khost and the Khariji Islam Centre in Nangarhar.
Sources said the targets also included the Khariji Ibrahim Centre in Nangarhar, the Khariji Mullah Rahbar Centre in Paktika and the Khariji Mukhlis Yar Centre in Paktika.
Officials stated that the action followed recent terrorist attacks inside Pakistan carried out by Fitna al-Khawarij. In response, Pakistan successfully targeted seven terrorist hideouts at various locations across Afghanistan.
Jets carried out bombing in the provinces of Paktia, Paktika, Nangarhar and Khost, inflicting heavy losses on the militants. Several hideouts were reduced to rubble, sources added.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said the recent suicide attacks in Pakistan involved terrorist leadership based in Afghanistan and their facilitators. Militants recently struck at an imambargah in Islamabad as well as in Bajaur and Bannu.
The statement said the responsibility for these attacks was claimed by the Pakistani Taliban based in Afghanistan, Fitna al-Khawarij and its allies. Pakistan possesses concrete evidence that the attacks were conducted on the directions of leadership operating from Afghan territory.
