ISLAMABAD: Several Afghan-based social media accounts, widely believed tobe operated with Indian backing, have circulated fabricated reportsclaiming that Afghan forces conducted drone strikes on two alleged ISIShideouts in Khyber district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The claims, which surfaced late Wednesday, alleged that precisionairstrikes destroyed Islamic State Khorasan hideouts in the Tirah valleyarea and caused significant militant casualties.
Pakistani security officials have categorically rejected the reports,terming them part of a coordinated Indian psychological operation designedto create confusion and portray Pakistan as unable to control its territory.
Sources within the security establishment confirmed that no aerial activityof any foreign force took place over Pakistani soil in the mentioned areaduring the claimed timeframe.
The disinformation campaign appears timed to coincide with ongoingdiplomatic tensions and aims to undermine Pakistan’s narrative regardingcross-border terrorism originating from Afghanistan.
Military authorities have noted a pattern of similar false claimsoriginating from accounts that previously spread anti-Pakistan contentduring recent regional developments.
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The Inter-Services Public Relations has urged citizens to rely only onofficial statements and refrain from amplifying unverified information thatserves hostile agendas.
Defence analysts observe that such fabricated stories are routinelyemployed to deflect international attention from Afghanistan-based TTPsanctuaries that continue to launch attacks inside Pakistan.
Pakistan maintains that any legitimate counter-terrorism action on its soilwill be announced through proper channels when deemed necessary.
Source: www.ispr.gov.pk”>https://www.ispr.gov.pk
