By Mashal Khan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan - Pakistan has continued air and ground operations inside Afghanistan on Friday under Operation Ghazab Lil Haq after the Afghan Taliban claimed responsibility for attempted drone attacks inside Pakistani territory.

The escalation followed an earlier statement by Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, who said terrorists described as “Fitna al-Khawarij (TTP)” attempted to launch small drones targeting Abbottabad, Swabi, and Nowshera.

According to Pakistani security sources, anti-drone systems intercepted and shot down all incoming devices, and no casualties were reported.

Local residents on Friday morning said the situation briefly calmed along the border at morning but intensified again after the Afghan Taliban publicly claimed they had carried out airstrikes inside Pakistan.

Defense analysts rejected the Afghan Taliban assertion, saying Afghanistan does not possess an operational air force or air defense capability capable of conducting such cross-border air raids.

Sources said the attempted attacks apparently involved locally launched small drones allegedly operated by terrorist Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)  with the support of facilitators.

“There is no possibility of hostile drones crossing deep into Pakistani cities undetected,” a security source said, adding that the foiled attempts demonstrated coordination between TTP elements and Afghan Taliban authorities.

According to Pakistani security sources, Pakistani forces destroyed several Afghan Taliban checkpoints along the border following what they described as unprovoked firing.

An Afghan Taliban military vehicle was also seized during ground operations. While in retaliatory airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Laghman province, Pakistan Air Force jets reportedly destroyed an arms depot, an ABF battalion headquarters, and facilities identified as part of the Nangarhar Brigade. Pakistan also destroyed an ammunition depot and major petroleum (POL) reserves in Afghanistan.

Additional strikes targeted the Khyber Post, Qaumi Sar Complex and Khawar Post along the frontier, with officials claiming “heavy losses” on the Afghan side.

 Security sources said Afghan Taliban's military Ariana complex, Dabagai check post, police headquarters and Zakir Khel post were also destroyed

Security sources said the operation remains ongoing and will continue until its objectives are achieved.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, in a latest statement, said that Islamabad's efforts to eliminate the scourge of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan continued through the day-to-day.

"A total of 297 Afghan Taliban are confirmed killed, and more than 450 are reported injured. 89 Afghan Taliban posts have been destroyed, and 18 have been captured," he said and adding  "135 Afghan Taliban regime tanks and armed personnel carriers have been destroyed.

According to the minister, 29 locations across Afghanistan have also been subjected to aerial targeting. 

The latest escalation marks one of the most serious flare-ups between the two neighbors in recent months. Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban of providing sanctuary to TTP terrorists responsible for attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other regions - a charge Kabul denies.