Pakistan Declares Military Operation Against Afghanistan Largely Successful
Pakistan has announced that it has achieved nearly all objectives in its recent military operation targeting Afghanistan, according to senior government officials on Thursday. Rana Sanaullah, special assistant to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, stated that Operation Ghazab lil-Haq has met its primary goals and is now being fortified.
Operation Launched in Response to Border Attacks
Islamabad initiated Operation Ghazab lil-Haq last week following attacks by Afghan Taliban forces on more than 50 locations along the shared 2,600-kilometer border. These Taliban assaults came in retaliation to Pakistan's earlier airstrikes in eastern Afghan provinces that targeted what Pakistan described as militant camps.
"Pakistan's targets in Operation Ghazab lil-Haq in Afghanistan have almost been achieved and are being fortified now," Sanaullah, who previously served as interior minister, told a private news channel. "Our only demand from Afghanistan was that it should not allow its soil to be used for terrorism against us."
Substantial Casualty Figures Reported
Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar provided detailed statistics about the operation's impact:
- 481 Afghan Taliban personnel killed
- Over 696 Taliban personnel injured
- 226 check posts destroyed
- 35 posts captured by Pakistani forces
- 198 tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery guns destroyed
- 56 locations across Afghanistan targeted by air strikes
These figures, reported as of March 4, followed Pakistan's air operations last Thursday. The Taliban had previously claimed it conducted "large-scale offensive operations" against Pakistani military positions along the shared border.
Escalating Tensions and Demands
Sanaullah emphasized that Islamabad expects Kabul to immediately withdraw support for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which Pakistan claims operates from Afghan territory. This demand comes amid what Pakistan's defense minister, Khawaja Asif, described as an "open war" against Kabul.
"We are conducting an open war against Kabul," Asif stated, citing concerns that TTP fighters were using Afghan territory to target Pakistan. Relations between the neighboring countries have deteriorated significantly since October of last year, despite their shared 2,611-kilometer border.
Afghan Claims and Counterclaims
Afghan authorities have made their own claims about the conflict, asserting that dozens of Pakistani soldiers were killed in the attacks and that 19 army posts and two bases were destroyed. These conflicting narratives highlight the deepening rift between the two nations.
The military operation represents a significant escalation in tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with both sides reporting substantial casualties and damage. The situation remains fluid as Pakistan claims to have achieved its operational objectives while continuing to demand that Afghanistan prevent its territory from being used against Pakistan.
