Afghanistan Drone Sites Targeted in Decisive Pakistan Response, Says Atta Tarar

Afghanistan Drone Sites Targeted in Decisive Pakistan Response, Says Atta Tarar

Afghanistan Drone Sites were targeted by Pakistan in response to what Islamabad described as an unlawful drone incursion from Afghan territory on September 23, with Information Minister Atta Tarar saying the strikes were directed at facilities used to launch and store drones. Pakistani officials described the action as a limited exercise of the country’s right to self-defence.

Table of Contents: Pakistan Targets Afghanistan Drone Sites | Drone Incursion Foiled by Air Defence | Atta Tarar Warns Against Further Attacks | Afghan Authorities Dispute Pakistan’s Account | Rising Pakistan-Afghanistan Tensions

Pakistan Targets Afghanistan Drone Sites

According to Atta Tarar, Pakistan carried out precision aerial and drone strikes against 10 locations in Afghanistan that were allegedly being used to launch and store drones involved in attacks against Pakistan.

The minister said the operation was deliberately limited to identified military objectives directly connected with the attempted attacks. He described the strikes as precise, calibrated and proportionate, while stressing that Pakistan was acting in what it considers its sovereign right to self-defence.

Reports from Afghan sources indicated that strikes occurred in parts of Kandahar, Paktia and Khost, although Pakistan did not publicly provide a detailed list of the 10 locations.

Drone Incursion Foiled by Air Defence

Tarar said Pakistan’s air defence systems detected, tracked and neutralised all drones that entered Pakistani territory before they could reach their intended targets.

Pakistani security sources separately reported that eight drones had entered Pakistani airspace, with four intercepted near the Torkham border and another four brought down in mountainous areas around Kohat.

The minister characterised the September 23 incident as a serious violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He also linked the latest confrontation to Islamabad’s longstanding concerns about militant networks operating from Afghan territory.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban authorities of allowing anti-Pakistan militant groups to operate from Afghanistan. Kabul has consistently rejected those accusations.

Atta Tarar Warns Against Further Attacks

Atta Tarar said Pakistan would not accept attacks originating from Afghan territory, regardless of whether they were carried out by militant groups or allegedly involved Afghan authorities.

He called on the Taliban government to immediately stop what Pakistan considers hostile activities and to take concrete, verifiable and sustained action against militant organisations operating from Afghan soil.

At the same time, Tarar said Pakistan was not seeking escalation and remained committed to regional peace, dialogue and constructive engagement. He warned, however, that Islamabad’s preference for dialogue should not be interpreted as unlimited tolerance of further attacks.

Afghan Authorities Dispute Pakistan’s Account

Afghan Taliban authorities have disputed Pakistan’s account of the events. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied that the Afghan government launched drones into Pakistan and condemned the strikes as a violation of Afghan sovereignty.

Afghan officials said the Pakistani strikes hit areas in Kandahar, Paktia and Khost. Mujahid said four civilians were killed and warned that Afghanistan would provide what he called an appropriate response.

The competing accounts could not immediately be independently reconciled. Reports from Khost officials, however, said some targeted areas had suffered no casualties, highlighting differences in early accounts of the operation.

Rising Pakistan-Afghanistan Tensions

The latest confrontation comes after a sharp deterioration in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. Pakistan also conducted strikes inside Afghanistan earlier in September, saying it had targeted militant positions. Afghan authorities and the UN subsequently reported civilian deaths from those strikes, while Islamabad said the operation targeted militants.

The dispute centres largely on Pakistan’s allegations that militant organisations use Afghan territory to plan and conduct attacks inside Pakistan, while Kabul rejects the accusations and maintains that Pakistan’s security problems are primarily domestic.

The latest strikes on Afghanistan Drone Sites therefore represent another significant development in an already tense relationship. With both sides issuing warnings and maintaining sharply different accounts of the events, the situation remains closely watched for its potential impact on border security, diplomatic engagement and regional stability.See More on pulse Pakistan