Latest news with #PICSS
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Balochistan, K-P remain epicentres as Pakistan records 85 attacks in May
Despite heightened military tensions with India in May, Pakistan witnessed only a marginal uptick in insurgent violence, according to data released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), an Islamabad-based independent think tank. The monthly security assessment issued by PICSS recorded 85 terrorist attacks across the country in May—slightly higher than April's tally of 81. These incidents resulted in 113 fatalities, including 52 security forces personnel, 46 civilians, 11 terrorists, and four peace committee members. The number of injured rose to 182, with 130 civilians, 47 security personnel, four terrorists, and one peace committee member among the wounded. The figures represent a five per cent rise in terrorist attacks compared to April. Of particular concern was the 73 per cent increase in fatalities among security personnel, as well as a dramatic 145 per cent surge in civilian injuries—from 53 in April to 130 in May. Conversely, injuries among security personnel fell by 20 per cent. Security operations during the month resulted in the deaths of 59 terrorists, while five security personnel lost their lives in the line of duty. Seven security personnel and five terrorists were injured in these operations, which also led to the arrest of 52 terrorists. The month marked the first time since October 2024 that terrorist deaths were recorded in double digits (65), a significant decline from the 203 insurgent fatalities reported in April. K-P, Balochistan suffered the worst of the violence Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) continued to bear the brunt of violence, accounting for 82 of the 85 reported attacks. Balochistan remained the most volatile region with 35 terrorist attacks, resulting in 51 deaths—including 30 civilians, 18 security personnel, and three extremists. One hundred people were injured, of whom 94 were civilians. Militants also abducted nine individuals in the province. Among the most tragic incidents was a blast targeting an Army Public School bus in Khuzdar, which claimed the lives of eight children (mostly girls) and two staff members, while injuring 35 others. In the merged tribal districts of K-P, 22 attacks led to 45 fatalities, including 23 security personnel, 12 civilians, six insurgents, and four peace committee members. The region also saw 58 injuries, including 30 security personnel. Read more: Indian-sponsored terrorists attack Surab market in Balochistan Mainland K-P (excluding the tribal districts) witnessed 25 insurgent attacks, resulting in 14 deaths, including 10 security personnel and two each of civilians and terrorists. Twenty-four people were injured. In Sindh, three attacks were recorded, causing the deaths of two civilians and one security official. No terrorist attacks were reported in Punjab, Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK), or Gilgit-Baltistan. However, Punjab recorded the highest number of arrests, with 39 suspected radical elements detained during intelligence-based operations. In AJK, a raid in Rawalakot led to the killing of four alleged insurgents said to be affiliated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
Arab News
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan saw ‘sharp' 22 percent decline in militant attacks in April, says think tank
KARACHI: Pakistan witnessed a sharp decline in militant attacks during April, an Islamabad-based think tank said in its report this week, saying that they dropped by a whopping 22 percent compared to the previous month, March. The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), an Islamabad-based think tank, said in its monthly report that both militant attacks and resultant casualties dropped sharply compared to March. Pakistan's security forces have been battling twin insurgencies in its northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and southwestern Balochistan provinces. In KP, the Pakistani Taliban frequently carry out some of the deadliest attacks against security forces while in Balochistan, Pakistani troops are battling ethnic Baloch separatists seeking independence from the state. 'The number of militant attacks fell by 22 percent— from 105 in March to 82 in April— while fatalities and injuries declined by 63 percent and 49 percent, respectively,' the PICSS said in its press release on Thursday. The report said Pakistani security forces killed 203 militants in various operations throughout the month. Militants formed an overwhelming majority (73 percent) of the total fatalities in April, while only four casualties were reported. Of these, two were civilians and two were security personnel, it added. 'A total of 287 people were killed in April due to militant violence and security operations, down from 335 in March,' the think tank said. The report said April also marked the lowest monthly death toll among security forces since June 2024, noting that civilian deaths also dropped significantly last month. 'PICSS attributed these improvements to proactive intelligence-led operations and enhanced border vigilance,' it said. The report said the most 'consequential development' of the month was a two-phase military operation near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border that targeted a large group of infiltrating Pakistani Taliban militants. 'At least 71 militants were killed— making it the biggest loss suffered by the group in a single operation to date,' the report said. The think tank also noted the resurgence of attacks on local peace committee members in tribal districts who have historically resisted militant infiltrations. 'The resurgence of attacks on these volunteers, particularly in the tribal districts, suggests that groups like the TTP [Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan] are attempting to reassert dominance by silencing local resistance structures,' it said. The report said mainland KP recorded 37 militant attacks in April, marginally down from 42 in March while tribal districts reported 17 attacks last month, slightly down from 18 in March. Balochistan witnessed 21 militant attacks in April, compared to 35 in March while Punjab reported three and Sindh four attacks in April. It said Pakistan's capital Islamabad remained peaceful in April, with no militant attacks reported for the second consecutive month.
Arab News
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan saw most militant attacks in a decade in March, says conflict monitoring group
KARACHI: Militant attacks in Pakistan surpassed 100 in March for the first time in over nine years, marking it to be the deadliest month since 2015, a leading security think tank said on Tuesday, as violence spiked across the country's two western provinces. The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan were the hardest hit, though Punjab and Sindh provinces also experienced an uptick in militant activity. Islamabad has repeatedly blamed Afghanistan for providing shelter to militant groups targeting civilians and security forces in cross-border attacks, an allegation denied by the authorities in Kabul. 'The number of militant attacks surpassed 100 for the first time since November 2014,' PICSS said in a statement. The think tank reported 105 militant attacks during the month, resulting in 228 fatalities — 73 security personnel, 67 civilians and 88 militants — and 258 injuries, equally split between civilians and security forces. Security operations conducted during the same period resulted in an additional 107 deaths and 31 injuries, bringing the overall death toll for the month to 335. 'According to the PICSS Militancy Database (PMD), March 2025 recorded the highest overall fatalities since August 2015,' the statement added. Balochistan witnessed at least 122 fatalities, including 40 civilians and 37 security personnel, as well as three suicide bombings, two of which were carried out by factions of the separatist Baloch Liberation Army. The province also saw the March 11 hijacking of the Jaffar Express, which left 26 hostages and 33 militants dead. PICSS said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported the highest number of total deaths — 206 — comprising 49 security personnel, 34 civilians and 123 militants. Of these, 82 fatalities occurred in the tribal districts, formerly part of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), where security operations also intensified. The think tank informed that Punjab also witnessed an increase in militant activity, with seven attacks recorded — mostly in Dera Ghazi Khan — marking the highest number of incidents in the province in a single month in a decade. Six people were killed and 22 suspected militants arrested in Lahore, it added. The southeastern Sindh province also reported three low-intensity attacks, including one claimed by Daesh. PICSS also recorded six suicide attacks in March — three in Balochistan, two in mainland KP and one in the tribal districts — making it the deadliest month for such incidents in recent years.
Arab News
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Pakistan saw 175 percent rise in civilian deaths from militant attacks in February— report
KARACHI: Pakistan saw a 175 percent increase in civilian casualties from militant attacks in February compared to January, an Islamabad-based think tank said on Sunday, with the country's southwestern Balochistan province suffering the most number of attacks last month. According to a report by Islamabad-based think tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), the country witnessed 79 militant attacks in February. This resulted in the deaths of 55 civilians and 47 security personnel, while 81 security forces personnel and 45 civilians sustained injuries. The report also said that security forces intensified their counter-militancy operations last month, eliminating 156 militants, injuring 20, and arresting 66. 'February 2025 marked the first month since August 2024 in which civilian fatalities surpassed those of security forces,' the report said. 'Civilian deaths rose by 175 percent compared to January 2025, when 20 civilians were killed, while security forces' casualties declined by 18 percent, down from 57 in January.' The report said militant fatalities also dropped by 25 percent in February, with 208 killed in January compared to 156 in February. It said Balochistan remained the most volatile province, recording 32 militant attacks that claimed 56 lives, including 35 civilians, 10 security personnel and 11 militants. The attacks also left 44 people injured, including 32 security forces personnel and 12 civilians. 'In erstwhile FATA [Federally Administered Tribal Areas], 21 militant attacks were reported, leading to the deaths of 22 security personnel and eight civilians,' the think tank said. It added that 26 security forces personnel and 11 civilians were injured while security forces killed at least 98 militants, injured 15, and arrested 50 suspected militants in FATA. Meanwhile, mainland Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded 23 militant attacks, resulting in 14 security forces personnel and 12 civilian deaths in February. Twenty-two civilians and an equal number of security personnel were injured during the month while security forces killed 47 militants in KP during February, the report added. Sindh witnessed three minor militant attacks, resulting in the death of one security official and injury to another. 'No militant attack was reported in Punjab, but security forces arrested 16 suspected militants from various locations,' the report said. 'No incidents of militant violence were reported from Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir, or Islamabad.' Pakistan has suffered a rise in militant attacks in its western provinces bordering Afghanistan, KP and Balochistan, since a fragile truce with the Pakistani Taliban and the state fell apart. In its bid to impose its strict brand of Islam across the country, the TTP has carried out suicide attacks against Pakistani security agencies and killed civilians as well. In the southwestern Balochistan province, separatist ethnic Baloch militants have waged an insurgency for decades against the state whom it accuses of exploiting the mineral-and-gas rich province while depriving its locals of a share in the resources. Pakistan's state rejects these allegations.
Express Tribune
02-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Civilian deaths in terrorist attacks surge in Feb
The month of February 2025 saw a marginal increase in terrorist attacks but a sharp surge in civilian casualties, along with a significant increase in the arrest of terrorists across the country, an Islamabad-based thinktank said in a report on Sunday. According to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), the last month saw 79 terrorist attacks, resulting in the deaths of 55 civilians and 47 security personnel, while 81 security personnel and 45 civilians sustained injuries. "February 2025 marked the first month since August 2024 in which civilian fatalities surpassed those of security forces," PICSS said. It added that civilian deaths rose by 175%, while deaths of security personnel declined 18% compared to January 2025. In January 2025, 20 civilians were killed, while 57 security personnel were martyred. "The security forces intensified their counter-militancy operations, eliminating 156 militants, injuring 20, and arresting 66," PICSS said in a press release. Terrorist fatalities dropped by 25%, – 156 in February compared to 208 in January. However, a significant increase in militant arrests was recorded in February, with 66 suspects detained, the highest monthly figure since 139 rounded up in December 2023. According to the PICSS press release, 50 of the detainees were arrested from the erstwhile Federally-Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) region, while 16 others were arrested from Punjab. Balochistan remained the most volatile province, recording 32 attacks that claimed 56 lives, including 35 civilians, 10 security personnel, and 11 terrorists. The attacks left 44 people injured, including 32 security forces personnel and 12 civilians. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) – excluding the tribal districts or erstwhile Fata – recorded 23 attacks, resulting in the deaths of 14 security forces personnel and 12 civilians, while 22 civilians and an equal number of security personnel were injured.
