Pakistan reports 435 Taliban fighters killed in ongoing military campaign

Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that 435 Taliban fighters were killed during the latest phase of Operation Ghazab-lil-Haq on Monday as the military intensified cross-border operations into Afghanistan.

In a statement released at 1500 hours today, Tarar said more than 630 fighters were wounded. He said 188 check posts were destroyed and 31 were captured during the ongoing campaign.

Tarar added that 188 tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery pieces were destroyed. He said 51 locations across Afghanistan were targeted in airstrikes.

There was no independent verification of the casualty figures. The Afghan Taliban had not issued a comprehensive response to the claims as of Monday afternoon.

Pakistani authorities say Operation Ghazab-lil-Haq was launched amid heightened cross-border tensions and escalating militant activity that officials describe as a serious security threat.

The government says the campaign is aimed at dismantling militant infrastructure, eliminating armed positions, and disrupting networks allegedly responsible for attacks inside Pakistan.

Tarar said the operation is being carried out with precision and strategic coordination, focusing on militant targets while seeking to avoid civilian casualties. He said Pakistan remains committed to safeguarding its national security and territorial integrity.

The latest update said 51 locations across Afghanistan were targeted through air operations, marking what officials described as a significant expansion in scope.

Military sources said fortified checkpoints and key logistical hubs were neutralized, weakening Taliban operational capabilities.

Operation Ghazab-lil-Haq remains ongoing, with further updates expected as developments unfold.

Clashes timeline

The latest border escalations follow a series of tit-for-tat actions over the past year.

On Feb. 21, Pakistan carried out air strikes targeting camps of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) inside Afghanistan after a wave of attacks in Pakistan, including a suicide bombing in the capital, Islamabad. Pakistani security sources said more than 80 militants were killed in those strikes.

Islamabad has long maintained that TTP leaders operate from Afghan territory, an allegation that Kabul has repeatedly denied.

Tensions also surged after a series of Pakistani strikes in Kabul on October 9 last year. Taliban forces subsequently targeted areas along Pakistan’s border, prompting Islamabad to respond with cross-border shelling. The exchanges caused casualties and infrastructure damage on both sides and led to the suspension of trade after border crossings were closed on October 12.