The Pakistan-Afghanistan border has heated up again after the Pakistani army launched an intelligence-based ground operation and "precision" airstrikes, resulting in the deaths of 29 militants.
This aggressive step was taken by Pakistan in response to a series of bloody attacks that had occurred in the country before.
Pakistan's Information Minister, Attaullah Tarar, confirmed the details of the operation, which lasted from Sunday to early Monday morning:
Ground Operation (Bajaur District): Four militants were successfully defeated and several others were injured in a raid in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, near the Afghan border.
Air Strike (Paktia, Paktika & Kunar): Pakistani fighter jets bombed training camps and hideouts of militants in these three border areas, killing another 25 militants.
The government identified the militant groups that were the main targets as being from the Jamaat ul Ahrar and Fitna al-Khwarij networks. The attack also destroyed a large amount of weapons and ammunition stored in the camps.
Kabul-Islamabad Nerve War Fails to Defuse
A spokesman for the Taliban-led government in Kabul also confirmed the incident of the airstrike by the Pakistani military.
Although the global community has not stopped calling for a ceasefire and even mediation efforts by countries such as Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and China have been mobilized, the two sides still seem to be exchanging fire frequently on the border.
Why Are Their Relations Increasingly Cracked?
Militant Hotbed Issue: Pakistan is now increasingly aggressively launching cross-border operations because it claims that militant groups that attack their cities receive protection and operate from within Afghan territory.
Kabul's denial: However, the Afghan authorities (Taliban) have repeatedly denied the allegations and insisted that they have never provided safe havens for any terrorist group.
Before the border incident, Pakistani forces reportedly foiled a suicide attack on a military camp in the port city of Karachi on Saturday night, killing three attackers and capturing another alive.
Trader's takeaway: While the geopolitical issues in South Asia do not directly impact major currency pairs, unrest in border areas close to important trade routes and ports such as Karachi could impact the sentiment of emerging market currencies in the region.
