South Waziristan, March 7, 2026: At least two policemen were martyred and four others injured after a bomb explosion in Rustam Bazaar, Wana town, South Waziristan, on Saturday. The blast also wounded eight civilians, officials said.
Deputy Superintendent of Police, Asghar Ali Shah, told the media that the explosive device had been planted near the gate of a supermarket in a busy area, targeting security personnel and creating chaos in the tribal district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The attack occurred amid Operation Ghazab lil-Haq, launched by the Pakistani armed forces in border areas along and inside Afghanistan to counter terrorist elements backed by the Afghan Taliban regime.
Since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021, Pakistan has witnessed increased cross-border terrorism, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
According to Attaullah Tarar, at least 527 Afghan Taliban fighters have been killed in Pakistan’s strikes since the launch of the operation last month. In addition, more than 755 militants were injured, 237 checkposts destroyed, 38 fighters captured, and 205 tanks, armoured vehicles, and artillery guns were neutralized.
Prior to the operation, Pakistan also targeted seven terrorist camps and hideouts belonging to Fitna al Khwarij, its affiliates, and Daesh-Khorasan along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, killing over 80 militants in airstrikes conducted in Nangarhar, Paktika, and Khost provinces of Afghanistan.
Pakistan and Afghanistan were also engaged in border clashes in October 2025, when Afghan Taliban and allied militants launched unprovoked attacks on Pakistani border posts. The clashes resulted in the death of over 200 Taliban fighters and the martyrdom of 23 Pakistani soldiers defending the border.
Despite multiple rounds of talks, no agreement has been reached, with Pakistan citing the Afghan Taliban regime’s reluctance to take action against terrorist outfits operating from Afghan territory.
The Rustam Bazaar blast underscores the persistent threat of cross-border terrorism and highlights the ongoing challenges faced by Pakistani security forces in safeguarding border regions.
