Militants in Pakistan suffered their heaviest losses in ten years during the month of October as security forces intensified counter-militancy operations across multiple regions, according to data compiled by an Islamabad-based think tank.

This comes after militants were put on the back foot in September, with 69 attacks recorded and a 52 per cent decline compared to the month of August, as per the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS).

In its latest monthly report issued today, PICSS stated that 355 militants were eliminated in October, while 72 security personnel and 31 civilians, including a peace committee member in Bannu, lost their lives.

Another 92 security personnel, 48 civilians and 22 militants were injured across the country, the PICSS Militancy Database showed.

While the think tank recorded a 29pc rise in militant attacks from 69 in September to 89 in October, overall human losses in these attacks declined by 19pc.

The report highlighted that militants kidnapped 55 people last month, the highest monthly figure of abductions in a decade. Security forces also arrested 22 suspected militants.

The report detailed that 55 security personnel, 29 civilians and the peace committee member, along with 24 militants, were killed in militant-initiated violence.

These attacks also left 88 security personnel, 45 civilians and one militant injured.

PICSS noted that while Balochistan witnessed 23 militant attacks in October compared to 21 in September, casualties dropped sharply from 33 security personnel and 38 civilians to 16 security men and three civilians. The number of militants killed remained eight for both months.

The number of security personnel left injured fell from 37 in September to 15 in October, and that of civilians declined from 85 to 20, while a militant was also wounded.

However, 31 people, mostly labourers, were kidnapped by militants during the month, the PICSS report added.

Detailing casualties from counterterrorism operations, PICSS said security forces killed 67 militants — the highest monthly militant death toll in Balochistan since 2002, when the current wave of militancy began.

PICSS described this as a notable improvement in the province’s security situation, pointing to a 92pc decline in civilian deaths and a 52pc drop in security personnel fatalities.

In the tribal belt (erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas), 22 militant attacks were recorded — the same as in September — but casualties increased significantly.

Thirty-one people, including 18 security personnel and 13 civilians, were killed, while 32 security personnel and 13 civilians were among 45 wounded. Militants also kidnapped 18 people from the region.

PICSS noted a 200pc rise in security personnel deaths, up from six to 18, and a 48pc overall rise in fatalities, including those of militants.

Security operations in the tribal areas killed 209 militants — the highest single-month militant death toll since November 2014.

Sixteen security personnel were also killed in these operations, including during the deadliest incident in Orakzai district, which led to border tensions with Afghanistan.

The institute confirmed that security forces also eliminated Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) former deputy emir and shadow defence minister, Qari Amjad, in Bajaur — the most high-profile TTP death since the group’s inception in 2007.

Meanwhile, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa saw 37 militant attacks in October compared to 25 in September, resulting in 48 deaths — 21 security personnel, 10 civilians, 16 militants and one peace committee member.

Forty-two people were injured, including 35 security personnel and seven civilians. Four people were kidnapped by militants. Security operations killed 55 militants, while a security personnel lost his life.

PICSS data shows militant deaths in operations dropped from 88 in September to 55 in October.

In Sindh, three militant attacks killed three civilians and injured seven people, including four civilians and three security personnel.

PICSS reported increased activity of the proscribed Zainabiyoun Brigade, with eight suspected militants, including key commanders, arrested.

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) targeted the Jaffar Express in Sindh’s Shikarpur district with an improvised explosive device (IED), derailing four bogies and injuring seven passengers.

Gilgit-Baltistan witnessed three attacks, including two attempted target killings apparently by Zainabiyoun Brigade, while the TTP abducted two officials of the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda).

In Punjab, one low-intensity attack occurred when TTP militants blew up a gas pipeline in Mianwali district. Security forces also arrested an Al-Qaeda operative from the Okara district.

Cumulatively, PICSS recorded 2,853 deaths in the first ten months of 2025 — including 1,734 militants, 601 security personnel, 497 civilians and 21 pro-government combatants.

The institute concluded that while militant violence persists, the sharp rise in militant deaths underscores the growing effectiveness of Pakistan’s counter-terrorism operations.

In March, Pakistan ranked second in the Global Terrorism Index 2025, with the number of deaths in terrorist attacks rising by 45pc to 1,081 over the previous year.