Security forces shoot down two drones operated by Fitna al-Khawarij: ministry

ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said on Friday that security forces successfully intercepted and shot down two drones allegedly operated by Fitna al Khawarij.

In a statement posted on X, the ministry said the drones were neutralised using electronic countermeasures and that no military or civilian infrastructure was hit.

“Only minor damage occurred due to falling debris,” the statement added.

The ministry also rejected claims circulating from accounts linked to the Taliban administration, saying such statements lacked verifiable evidence.

According to the ministry, the Afghan Taliban regime’s official accounts regularly spread misinformation and propaganda, including earlier claims of shooting down aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force and capturing pilots, which were later deleted.

The statement further accused the Afghan administration of harbouring and supporting militant groups such as Fitna al Khawarij and Fitna al Hindustan.

Pakistan has witnessed an increase in cross-border militant activity since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

In response, Islamabad launched Operation Ghazab lil-Haq targeting militant hideouts along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

According to Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, more than 650 Afghan Taliban fighters have been killed and over 800 injured during the operation, while 249 militant checkposts have been destroyed.

Security sources earlier said Pakistan also carried out airstrikes against militant camps belonging to Fitna al Khawarij, its affiliates and Islamic State – Khorasan Province in Afghanistan’s provinces of Nangarhar, Paktika and Khost, killing more than 80 militants.

Despite several rounds of diplomatic talks, tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have persisted, with Islamabad accusing the Taliban government of failing to act against militant groups operating along the border.