Pakistan according to its defence minister will continue to launch attacks against Afghanistan as part of a new military operation aimed at countering terrorism.

Khawaja Asif said the aerial strikes were targeting groups which Pakistan accuses of targeting security forces and civilians.

Previously, senior officials in Pakistan had only admitted to one such strike on the neighbouring country, in March of this year.

The Taliban government in Afghanistan describes the strikes as violations of its sovereignty.

He also dismissed fears over the legality of the strikes, saying Pakistan does not inform the Taliban of impending attacks.

The Taliban said the statement was “irresponsible”, warning Pakistan that cross-border attacks would have “consequences”.

Tensions have been rising between Pakistan and Afghanistan since the Taliban took control of the country in 2021. Pakistan alleges that a faction of the Taliban, the Pakistani Taliban or TTP, has sanctuaries in Afghanistan.

Pakistan has recently announced a renewed military operation, Resolve for Stability” in English, aimed at curbing escalating violence and terrorist attacks. It will mainly focus on groups acting within Pakistan.

Critics, and even some sources within the government, have suggested the new operation was launched following pressure from Beijing, concerned about the safety of its 29,000 citizens in Pakistan, 2,500 of whom are working on China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects, part of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Five Chinese engineers were killed when a suicide bomber rammed a vehicle into a convoy of Chinese engineers working on a hydropower project in northwest Pakistan in March 2024.

Pakistan’s military previously alleged the attack was planned in neighbouring Afghanistan, and that the bomber was also an Afghan national.

Mr Asif denied that the most recent military operations had been due to pressure from China.

But he said the operations would address security threats to Chinese projects and nationals in Pakistan.