A recent report released on Monday highlighted that the surge in terrorist bombings and gun assaults in Pakistan has led to the deaths of over 1,600 civilians and security personnel in 2024.
The annual report, published by an independent think tank based in Islamabad, comes in the context of increasing violence across the nation, particularly impacting the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces that share borders with Afghanistan.
Pakistan claims that banned transnational groups have been executing violent acts from safe havens in Afghanistan, with their operations escalating since the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021.
The Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) reported that civilians accounted for 60% of the total casualties in 2024. The report also indicated that the Pakistani military, intelligence, police, and other law enforcement agencies have experienced the highest frequency of terror attacks and fatalities in a decade.
Since January 1, 685 security personnel have lost their lives, marking the highest toll since nearly 800 were killed in militant attacks and counterterrorism efforts in 2014.
The revival of militancy is primarily linked to two major groups: Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA). Both groups are recognized as international terrorist organizations by the United Nations and the United States and frequently claim responsibility for assaults on security forces and other targets. TTP operates mainly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while BLA and its allied ethnic Baloch separatist factions carry out insurgent activities in Balochistan.
The Pakistani government has yet to issue a response to the recent report; however, an army spokesperson held a live news conference on Friday, stating that “383 courageous officers and soldiers were martyred” during counterterrorism operations throughout Pakistan in 2024. No additional details were provided.
On Monday, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Counter Terrorism Department released a statement indicating that militant attacks and security operations against insurgents led to the deaths of nearly 150 members of the provincial police force, with another 230 individuals injured.
The Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) has recorded around 250 fatalities among Pakistani security forces, including military personnel, specifically in Balochistan. The remaining casualties were reported from Punjab, Sindh, and other areas.
The nonprofit think tank noted that its findings are based on open-source data and official reports. It regularly publishes assessments of the security landscape in Pakistan and emphasizes its commitment to fostering research and impartial analysis on its website.
The Taliban government has refuted claims that Afghan territory is being used by individuals allowed to threaten neighboring nations, including Pakistan.
Last week, Taliban officials reported that Pakistani aircraft had targeted several sites within the eastern Afghan border province of Paktika, asserting that these strikes resulted in nearly 50 deaths, identifying the victims as “refugees” from Pakistan.
Islamabad has chosen not to publicly address the reported airstrikes; however, Pakistani security officials quickly confirmed the cross-border attacks on the condition of anonymity. They indicated that the strikes were aimed at TTP hideouts, leading to the death of more than twenty prominent militants and the destruction of training facilities.
On Saturday, the Taliban’s Defense Ministry released a statement asserting that its border forces responded by targeting multiple locations within Pakistan. An independent assessment of the claims from both Pakistan and Afghanistan has yet to yield definitive conclusions.
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