Pakistan reported that its security forces killed 29 militants during ground and air operations along the Afghanistan border following attacks that killed three soldiers in Karachi. Minister of Information Attaullah Tarar said the operation targeted hideouts and safe havens of the Pakistan Taliban in the provinces of Paktia, Paktika and Kunar. The strikes were carried out in response to multiple attacks across the country, including a bomb and gun attack on the paramilitary Rangers headquarters in Karachi that killed three soldiers and wounded another assailant, whom the military identified as an Afghan national. Jamaat‑ul‑Ahrar, a breakaway faction of the Pakistan Taliban, said it was responsible for the Karachi attack. Tarar said the latest operation was launched after a surge in attacks targeting police and security forces in recent years, which Pakistan attributes to the Pakistan Taliban and allied groups. The Pakistan Taliban, distinct from the Afghan Taliban, have been accused by Pakistan of harboring fighters that carry out attacks inside Pakistan, while Kabul denies the accusations. Relations between Islamabad and Kabul have been strained for months, with repeated cross‑border air strikes and ground operations, including a similar air strike by Pakistan about three weeks earlier. International peace talks mediated by China in April have not resulted in a lasting ceasefire, and both sides have exchanged accusations of violating previous agreements. The escalation follows a period of relative calm after Pakistan described an “open war” between the two countries, though no formal declaration of war has been made.