Attaullah Tarar, Pakistan`s Minister of Information, said that last night`s airstrikes carried out by the Pakistani military in Paktika Province, eastern Afghanistan, were aimed at members and leaders of the "Hafiz Gul Bahadur" group, a splinter faction of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

According to AnsarPress, Tarar wrote on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday that between 60 and 70 members and leaders of the Hafiz Gul Bahadur network were killed in the strikes.

He rejected Taliban claims that civilians were killed in the attacks, calling such reports an attempt to garner sympathy for "terrorists operating from Afghan soil."

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The Pakistani minister further stated that during the 48-hour ceasefire, "Khawarij based in Afghanistan" - a term often used by Islamabad to refer to militant groups such as the TTP - attempted to carry out several terrorist attacks inside Pakistan, all of which were foiled by security forces, resulting in the deaths of over 100 militants.

Despite the ceasefire extension with the Taliban, Pakistan launched drone strikes around 8:00 p.m. last night, targeting areas in Bermal and Argun districts of Paktika Province.

The Taliban responded by accusing Pakistan of striking civilian homes and a local cricket team.

According to a report by Al Jazeera, at least 10 people were killed and eight others wounded in the airstrikes.

The attacks mark a renewed escalation in cross-border hostilities just days after both sides had agreed to pursue diplomatic negotiations in Doha, underscoring the fragile nature of the ceasefire and the deepening mistrust between Islamabad and Kabul.