ISLAMABAD, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan had carried out intelligence-based, targeted strikes on seven militant camps along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border following a series of suicide bombings, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said on early Sunday morning.
The ministry said in a statement that Pakistan had "conclusive evidence" that the bombings, including a suicide attack on a mosque in Islamabad, were orchestrated by terrorists, acting on the directions of their Afghanistan-based leadership and handlers.
The ministry added that responsibility for the attacks had been claimed by Afghanistan-based factions of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan as well as by the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP).
According to the ministry, despite repeated requests by Pakistan urging the Afghan government to take verifiable measures to prevent militant groups from using Afghan territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan, no substantive action had been undertaken.
"In this backdrop, Pakistan, in a retributive response, has carried out intelligence-based selective targeting of seven terrorist camps and hideouts belonging to Pakistani Taliban and its affiliates and ISKP at the border region of Pakistan-Afghan border with precision and accuracy," the statement said.
The ministry emphasized that Pakistan has consistently sought to maintain peace and stability in the region but stressed that the safety and security of its citizens remain the country's top priority.
The recent attacks, including the bombing at a mosque in Islamabad and incidents in the northwestern district of Bajaur and Bannu, occurred this month, heightening national security concerns in Pakistan. ■