'Righteous Fury': Operation Ghazab lil-Haq

The army has foiled an infiltration attempt by Afghan Taliban and Fitna al Khawarij near Torkham in KP, Radio Pakistan reports, citing security sources.

According to security sources, an Afghan Taliban ringleader was killed along with his associates while attempting infiltration.

A terrorist commander was killed in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in the Paharkhel Pacca area of Lakki Marwat district, police sources said.

The operation was jointly conducted by the police, the CTD, and security forces following information about the presence of terrorists.

Ghaznikhel police station SHO Abdul Muneem Khan said that the law enforcement personnel were engaged in a search and strike operation in the area when they were informed that terrorists had come to a hilly area with the intention of carrying out subversive activities.

“When the fire exchange stopped, the security personnel found the body of a terrorist commander during a search and shifted it to the District Headquarters Hospital at Tajazai”, he maintained.

Two mortar shells have been fired at the residence of Qayyum, brother of prominent tribal elder Malik Saidullah Wazir, in the Nargasai area of Lower South Waziristan’s Birmal tehsil, police say.

According to police officials, the shells were launched from an unidentified direction during the early hours. One of the mortar rounds exploded within the premises of the house, while the second failed to detonate.

The explosion caused partial damage to the building and minor damage to a parked Fielder vehicle. Rooms of the house and some small livestock present in the courtyard were also affected by the blast. However, no casualties were reported.

Police officials said an investigation has been initiated to ascertain the exact location from where the shells were fired and to identify those responsible.

Wazir is regarded as an influential tribal figure in Lower South Waziristan and Upper South Waziristan. Following the events of 9/11 and the subsequent war against militancy, members of his family reportedly played an active role in resisting foreign militants in the region.

Pakistan’s attack on Afghanistan’s Bargam Air Base destroyed an aircraft hangar and two warehouses, NYT reports, as per PTV.

“Satellite imagery showed flattened warehouses at the base that served as the nerve center of America’s 20-year war in Afghanistan, a prized asset for the Taliban,” the NYT report stated.

The outlet further said Pakistan has carried out more than 50 attacks on Afghanistan’s military targets.

PTV quoted experts as saying that attack on Bagram was a “clear message to the Afghan Taliban regime that Pakistan can carry out operation anywhere in Afghanistan”.

Unknown armed men have blown up Government Middle School Sharif Khan Kot for the second time in the Darablai area of Birmal tehsil in Lower South Waziristan early this morning.

Wana’s Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Asghar Ali Shah told Dawn over the phone that multiple classrooms and the boundary wall were extensively damaged in the blast. He confirmed that the police have initiated an investigation into the incident.

Police said that a few days earlier, armed men had targeted the same school with explosive materials. In the previous incident, two classrooms, three washrooms, and one side of the boundary wall were completely destroyed, severely disrupting academic activities.

According to local sources, repeated attacks on the school have created serious concern among students and teachers, with parents expressing apprehension regarding their children’s education. Local elders have urged the government and relevant authorities to ensure the security of educational institutions and take strict action against those responsible.

According to the security sources, operations were conducted in various “sensitive sectors” of Balochistan, including:

• Qila Saifullah: Pishin, Loi Bund and Badini sectors
• Zhob: Sambaza and Ghadwana sectors
• Nushki: Jani and Ghaznali sectors
• Chiltan Range: Gulistan, Dobandi and Shashka sectors

The security sources said these locations were “allegedly being used for terrorist activities from across the border”.

An official affirmed that the operations will continue until “the threats are fully neutralised and effective defence balance is restored in the border areas”.

Unknown armed men have abducted Malik Waris Khan Wazir, the elder brother of former MNA and senior PML-N leader Ghalib Khan, in Wana tehsil in Lower South Waziristan.

According to reports, unidentified armed men forcibly put Wazir into a vehicle and took him to an undisclosed location last night.

Wana’s Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Asghar Ali Shah confirmed the incident to Dawn, stating that efforts were underway to secure the safe recovery of the tribal elder.

According to police sources, the abduction has created an atmosphere of fear and concern in the area. Local residents expressed deep sorrow over the incident and demanded immediate and effective measures for the safe recovery of the abductee.

The army has given a “strong response” along the Pak-Afghan border in Balochistan on the night of March 3/4, security sources say.

They added that the retaliatory action is being taken against those “alleged hideouts and posts that were being used by outlawed elements and their facilitators”.

According to the security sources, the operation’s aim is to effectively deal with cross-border terrorism activities and eliminate threats posed to national security.

The security sources said more than 50 locations were being targeted, with modern weapons being used, including anti-tank guided missiles, rocket launchers and long-range mortars, light and heavy artillery, and main battle tanks.

A source said swarm drones are being used for an organised operation, which are “targeting certain targets in coordination with the ground troops”. As per security sources, this is a “calculated and strict operation”.

Official sources said that a notable Afghan Taliban commander who attempted to cross the border was killed in Landi Kotal.

According to sources, a group led by the terrorist commander was trying to approach the Torkham border last night.

They said that armed forces, acting on solid intelligence information, targeted the group, killing the terrorist commander and his companions.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has held a telephone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in which the latter said Turkiye would “contribute to the re-establishment of the ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan”.

According to a post on X by the Turkish Presidency, the two leaders discussed ties between Pakistan and Turkiye and also “regional and global issues”.

“Condemning the terror attacks carried out in Pakistan, President Erdogan said Turkiye will continue to stand by Pakistan in its anti-terror fight, and that it will contribute to the re-establishment of the ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan, reached through Turkiye’s initiatives as well,” the Presidency said.

Security forces have carried out an intelligence-based operation in the Domel tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Bannu district that reportedly left several militants injured, security sources said.

According to security sources, the operation took place within the jurisdiction of Domel Police Station in the area of Kotka Akbar Ali Khan.

A quadcopter drone strike targeted a room near a tube well where the presence of militants had allegedly been reported, they added.

The security sources stated that after the initial strike, the injured militants were being shifted by their associates on motorcycles to an undisclosed location when a second quadcopter strike was launched.

Reports of intense clashes have once again emerged from areas along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mohmand district, with heavy firing continuing intermittently.

According to eyewitnesses, exchanges of fire and shelling persisted at intervals since early hours, with the sound of heavy weaponry echoing across several border villages.

The escalating situation also prompted multiple families to begin relocating to safer areas amid concerns of further violence.

Residents said that 54 educational institutions and local markets had been closed as a precautionary measure, disrupting daily life and compounding anxiety in the affected communities.

So far, the district administration has not issued an official statement regarding the unfolding situation.

Pakistan’s armed forces have destroyed the Khugyani base during a successful air strike in Afghanistan, security sources said.

According to security sources, the forces are continuing effective ground and air operations against the Afghan Taliban and Fitna Al Khawarij.

They stated that Pakistani forces carried out a successful air strike in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, destroying the Khugyani base.

The sources added that following the unprovoked aggression, Fitna Al Khawarij and Afghan Taliban elements were facing a strong pushback on all fronts.

Operation Ghazab Lil Haq remained underway and would continue until its objectives were achieved, the security sources said.

The Pakistan armed forces have killed 464 Afghan Taliban personnel as of 4pm today as operation Ghazab lil-Haq continues.

In an update posted on X, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that as of 4pm on March 3, security forces have injured over 665 Afghan Taliban personnel, destroyed 188 checkposts, and captured 31 posts.

He further detailed that 192 tanks, armoured vehicles and artillery guns have been destroyed, and 56 locations across Afghanistan have been “effectively” targeted by air.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has reiterated its call for a halt in cross-border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

“UNAMA also calls on all parties to comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, and to ensure the protection of civilians,” it said in a press release issued in Kabul.

State-run PTV reported that the Pakistan armed forces have successfully conducted an air operation in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, destroying the Khogani base, citing security sources.

“The Kharijite sedition and Afghan Taliban are facing a full retreat on every front following their unprovoked aggression,” the sources added, according to PTV.

The information minister has said that 40 Afghan Taliban personnel were killed in overnight operations in KhyberPakhtunkhwa.

“Physical attack was attempted at one place, while a fire raid was conducted on 12 locations, which were all repulsed without any loss of life,” he said in an update posted on X.

“40 Afghan Taliban were killed in the overnight operations in KP,” he said, adding that “follow-up” operations continued.

He said that a detailed update will be given in the afternoon.

Security forces have killed 27 Afghan Taliban personnel in overnight operations in Balochistan in retaliation to Afghan Taliban launching a “physical attack” on 16 locations in the north of the province.

In an update posted on X, Information Minister Ataullah Tarrar said, “Afghan Taliban resorted to physical attack on 16 locations in Northern Balochistan in Qilla Saifullah, Noshki and Chaman Districts while engaging our troops on 25 locations in fire raid”.

“The attack at all the locations [has] been effectively repulsed with Afghan Taliban suffering 27 killed and scores injured,” the minister added.

“One soldier of FC Balochistan North gave the ultimate sacrifice while defending the motherland, while five soldiers are injured,” Tarrar further said.

A police constable has been martyred after unidentified militants launched a late-night attack on Mulazai police station in Tank district.

According to a police official, armed assailants opened heavy and automatic gunfire on the police station from two sides on Monday night. Personnel deployed inside the premises retaliated, triggering an intense exchange of fire that continued for some time.

Constable Jehanzaib, who was on duty at the time, was critically hit during the assault and embraced martyrdom, officials said.

His funeral prayers were later offered with full official honours at the Police Lines.

State-run PTV reported that the Pakistan armed forces have targeted Afghan Taliban fighters in Jalalabad amid the ongoing operation, inflicting heavy losses.

Security sources said that an ammunition depot and drone storage in Jalalabad have been destroyed “through full-scale aerial action”.

“In response to the aggression of the Afghan Taliban, the Pakistan armed forces’ effective and devastating counter-attacks have inflicted heavy losses on the Afghan Taliban and the Kharijite rebels,” it added.

The Pakistan Air Force has struck the Bagram air base during ongoing Operation Ghazab lil-Haq against the Afghan Taliban, according to security sources.

The sources referred to a report they said was issued by Afghanistan’s defence ministry and detailed the damage caused by the strike.

They said, citing the report, that Black Hawk helicopters, a Hurcules cargo aircraft, a Tucano aircraft, armoured vehicles and other military equipment were destroyed in the strike.

There are reports that intermittent shelling along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mohmand district continues.

It has also been reported that helicopters and jet aircraft were seen flying in the sky as part of stepped-up aerial surveillance.

Authorities say no “major casualties” have been reported as a result of the cross-border firing.

A senior security official has said that Pakistan is in no hurry to wind up Operation Ghazab lil-Haq and will continue cross-border action against terrorist sanctuaries inside Afghanistan until Kabul offers verifiable guarantees against terrorism facilitation.

“Pakistan is in no hurry to end Operation Ghazab lil-Haq. It’s time for terrorism supporters and abettors to bleed and suffer,” the official said. according a the brief shared with Dawn.

He said: “Operations in Afghanistan will end when Afghanistan’s Taliban regime provides verifiable assurance of compliance to Pakistan’s demand of quitting the facilitation of Fitna-al-Khawarij and Fitna-al-Hindustan. We are in no hurry.”

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The Ministry for Information and Broadcasting says that reports about strikes on Pakistani military sites are false, calling them an “unverified Taliban claim amplified as propaganda by fake pages and Indian media”.

“No evidence (satellite imagery, flight data, videos from the ground, or local eyewitnesses) has been provided to substantiate the claim,” the ministry’s fact check account on X stated.

It added that Afghanistan had no operational air force since the Taliban took power in 2021 and that no intrusions were detected by the “advanced air defence” system at the Nur Khan base in Rawalpindi.