ISLAMABAD: At least four people, including two children, were injured after the Afghan Taliban launched a few rudimentary drones, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Saturday.
Security sources said that on Friday evening two rudimentary drones were intercepted at different locations near Rawalpindi and were brought down through electronic countermeasures.
According to the ISPR, the drones were intercepted through “soft and hard kills” and did not reach their intended targets.Two children were injured in Quetta, one civilian in Kohat and another in Rawalpindi. The ISPR said the attacks were aimed at creating fear among the public and reflected the “terrorist mindset” of the Afghan Taliban. It added that while the Afghan Taliban project victimhood internationally, they continue targeting civilians through terrorist proxies and drones.
The military said Operation Ghazab lil-Haq would continue until the Afghan Taliban address Pakistan’s concerns about terrorism originating from Afghan soil. Earlier, the information ministry said two rudimentary drones belonging to Fitna al-Khawarij — a term used by the state for Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants — were successfully intercepted by Pakistani security forces using electronic countermeasures.
Authorities said no military installation was hit and only minor damage occurred due to debris from the drones. Flight operations at Islamabad International Airport briefly experienced operational adjustments, but later authorities clarified that reports about the closure of Islamabad’s airspace were baseless.
The drone incident came after Pakistan carried out overnight air strikes against terrorist positions and support locations in Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan targeted around 70 terrorist-linked installations, including logistic bases and camps that support terrorism from inside Afghanistan.
President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the drone attacks, calling them an attempt to target civilian areas in Pakistan. He said the Afghan regime had crossed a red line by provoking Pakistan and warned of serious consequences. He also wished a speedy recovery to those injured in Quetta, Kohat and Rawalpindi, and reaffirmed that Pakistan’s armed forces remain committed to defending the country and protecting its people.
