ISLAMABAD: The resumption of attacks by the outlawed TTP without announcing an end to the ceasefire has further aggravated the security situation as the highest number of terror incidents in a single month this year was recorded in September.

The number of terror attacks increased in September compared to August 2022. The month witnessed 42 militant attacks (highest in a month in 2022) with an increase of 35pc compared to August. A visible increase of 106pc in violence in erstwhile Fata and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) was also observed.

In the wake of cleanup operations by security forces, 17 alleged militants were killed and 18 others apprehended across the country.

However, in Balochistan, a 41pc decrease in militant attacks was reported as compared to August 2022. The devastating flood could be a reason for the decline.

Says 17 militants killed, 18 others held in operations by security forces

These statistics were released by an Islamabad-based independent think-tank, Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS). It stated that the number of deaths also increased by 8pc compared to August 2022.

“In September, the militants carried out 42 attacks in which 40 people were killed, including 24 security forces personnel, and 77 people were injured, including 19 security forces personnel. Overall 60pc of the deaths were from the security forces which showed that they were the prime target of the militants,” it stated.

In August 2022, the militants carried out 31 attacks across the country, in which 37 people were killed and 55 others injured.

“Peace negotiations with the TTP remained in limbo during the month but due to fear of target killing, top leadership of the group, including its head Mufti Noor Wali, went into hiding. A series of target killing incidents happened in August in which some senior TTP commanders were killed in Afghanistan,” it stated.

In KP, PICSS recorded a 137pc increase in militant attacks compared to August 2022. In September, 19 militant attacks were reported in which 19 people were killed, including 12 security forces personnel while 21 other people sustained injuries.

In response to the increase in terror attacks in previous months, security had been beefed up in the province. Five militant attacks in KP were claimed by TTP. In a security forces action, reported from KP, three alleged militants were killed and another was apprehended.

In the erstwhile Fata, PICSS recorded a 75pc increase in militant attacks compared to August. In September, 14 militant attacks were reported in which 14 people were killed, including 12 security forces personnel, while seven other people sustained injuries. Three militant attacks were claimed by TTP in the region.

Four security forces actions were reported from erstwhile Fata in which eight militants were killed and nine others apprehended.

In Balochistan, a 41pc decrease in militant attacks was reported compared to August 2022. The devastating flood could be a reason for the decline. In September, seven militant attacks were reported in which five people were killed while 47 others sustained injuries.

Out of seven militant attacks, one each was claimed by Balochistan Liberation Tigers (BLT) and BLA. In the security forces’ operations, six alleged militants belonging to the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) group and TTP were killed.

In Sindh, two terror attacks were reported in which two people were killed and two others injured. Seven security forces’ actions were also reported in which eight alleged militants were apprehended.

No incident related to terrorism was reported from Punjab, Islamabad, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Published in Dawn, October 3rd, 2022