RAWALPINDI (MNN): Pakistani security forces intercepted and shot down several rudimentary drones allegedly launched by the Afghan Taliban on March 13, 2026, officials said, adding that the unmanned aircraft failed to reach their intended targets.
According to officials, the drones were neutralised through a combination of electronic countermeasures and other defensive systems, commonly described as soft and hard kill methods. The drones were intercepted before causing significant damage.
However, debris from the intercepted drones caused minor injuries to civilians. Two children were injured in Quetta, while one civilian each sustained injuries in Kohat and Rawalpindi after fragments of the drones fell to the ground.
Authorities said the drone launches were intended to spread fear among the Pakistani population and reflected what they described as the extremist mindset of the Afghan Taliban.
Officials maintained that while the Afghan Taliban portray themselves internationally as victims in order to gain sympathy, they simultaneously support attacks targeting civilians through militant proxies and drone operations.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting confirmed that Pakistan also intercepted and shot down two drones over Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The ministry said the drones were tracked and neutralised using electronic countermeasures before they could cause significant damage.
The statement said the drones were linked to the militant group described by authorities as Fitna al-Khawarij. Officials stressed that no military bases, strategic installations or civilian infrastructure were targeted in the incident.
Authorities said the only damage reported was minor and occurred due to debris falling after the drones were shot down.
The ministry also rejected claims circulating on social media from accounts linked to the Taliban administration in Afghanistan. Officials described the allegations as baseless and lacking credible evidence.
According to the ministry, certain Taliban-linked social media accounts, including one claiming to represent Afghanistan’s defence ministry, have repeatedly spread misinformation and propaganda.
The statement referred to recent claims alleging that aircraft belonging to the Pakistan Air Force had been shot down and that Pakistani pilots had been captured. Officials noted that those claims were later deleted by the same accounts that had initially posted them.
Authorities said the Taliban administration had a record of spreading fake news and accused it of facilitating militant groups allegedly backed by India, including organisations referred to as Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan.
Officials emphasised that Pakistan’s people and armed forces remain fully aware of the intentions of groups operating from Afghan territory.
They added that Pakistan’s Operation Ghazab-lil-Haq will continue until the Afghan Taliban address Islamabad’s core concerns regarding terrorism originating from Afghan soil.
The armed forces, officials said, remain committed to combating terrorism in all its forms and will continue to defend Pakistan and its citizens against threats and provocations. (UPDATED)
RAWALPINDI (MNN); Pakistan on Friday shot down two drones over Rawalpindi and Islamabad, with authorities saying the unmanned aircraft caused only minor damage and did not target any military or civilian installations.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Pakistani security forces intercepted and neutralised the drones using electronic countermeasures.
The ministry said the two “minor drones” were linked to the militant group referred to as Fitna al-Khawarij. Officials added that the drones were tracked and brought down before they could cause significant damage.
Authorities said the only reported loss was minor damage caused by debris that fell after the drones were shot down.
“No military or other infrastructure in Pakistan was targeted,” the ministry said, stressing that the situation remained fully under control.
The government also rejected allegations circulating on social media from accounts associated with the Taliban administration in Afghanistan, calling the claims baseless and unsupported by credible evidence.
According to the ministry, certain Taliban-linked accounts — including one claiming to represent the defence ministry — have repeatedly spread misinformation and propaganda.
The statement referred to recent claims circulating online alleging that aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force had been shot down and that Pakistani pilots had been captured. Officials said those posts were later deleted by the same accounts that had published them.
“The allegations made by the Taliban regime have no credibility,” the statement said, adding that the group’s so-called defence ministry had a record of disseminating fake news.
The ministry further alleged that the Taliban administration was supporting and facilitating India-backed militant groups known as Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan.
Authorities reiterated that both drones were successfully intercepted through electronic defence measures and confirmed that no strategic installations or civilian infrastructure suffered damage in the incidents.
