Pakistan Intercepts Drones Near Islamabad, Injuries Reported

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Afghan Drones Target Civilian Areas

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday strongly condemned drone attacks allegedly launched from Afghanistan, saying the Afghan Taliban had “crossed a red line” by targeting civilian areas in Pakistan.

According to Pakistan’s military, several “rudimentary drones” were detected and intercepted on Friday night before they could reach their intended targets, including military facilities in Rawalpindi, near the capital Islamabad.

The military stated that debris from the downed drones injured two children in Quetta, in southwestern Pakistan, as well as a civilian each in Kohat, northwestern Pakistan, and Rawalpindi. Authorities confirmed that airspace around the capital was temporarily closed as a precaution when the drones were detected. ✈️

In an official statement, the military said the drones were launched “to harass” Pakistan and did not succeed in reaching their targets.

The Taliban authorities in Afghanistan do not operate a fully functional air force but have reportedly used locally produced drones in recent operations, mainly targeting areas along the border, according to security experts.

The incident comes after Pakistani strikes overnight Thursday into Friday reportedly killed several civilians in Kabul and border provinces. Following those strikes, Taliban authorities vowed to retaliate, including threats directed at Islamabad.

Photo Credits: AFP