Following a brief lull in March, militant attacks surged once more in April, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly its southern districts, facing the brunt, as revealed by Islamabad-based think tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) in its monthly security assessment report.
According to the statistics provided, the country witnessed at least 77 verifiable militant attacks during April, resulting in 70 fatalities, which included 35 civilians and 31 members of the security forces, while four militants were killed. The number of injured individuals totalled 67, with 32 civilians and 35 security personnel among them.
Comparatively, March recorded 56 militant attacks, resulting in 77 fatalities and 67 injuries. This reflects a 38 per cent increase in the number of militant attacks in April, although there was a nine per cent decline in deaths, with no significant change in the number of injuries.
The security report also highlighted the commendable efforts of the country’s security forces in thwarting numerous potential attacks throughout the month. At least 55 suspected militants were killed, and 12 others were arrested, including individuals involved in the Basham suicide attack, marking a 55 per cent increase in militant deaths compared to March.
Further analysis of the report revealed that 73 per cent of the total number of militant attacks reported in April took place in KP, including its tribal districts. Fifty-six attacks were reported in the province during the previous month. These attacks resulted in the deaths of 43 people, including 26 members of the security forces and 17 civilians, with 32 individuals sustaining injuries, among them 19 security personnel and 13 civilians.
Mainland KP witnessed more attacks and fatalities than tribal districts (formerly Fata). Mainland KP recorded 31 attacks, resulting in 25 fatalities and 10 injuries. The southern districts of D.I. Khan, Lakki Marwat, Bannu, and Tank were the most affected, with D.I. Khan and Lakki Marwat each facing seven militant attacks, followed by Bannu with six, and Tank with two attacks. These districts collectively accounted for 71 per cent of the attacks in mainland KP.
Additionally, Peshawar experienced four attacks, while Swat, Swabi, Charsadda, Shangla, and Battagram each witnessed one attack.
In the tribal districts of KP (formerly Fata), PICSS documented at least 25 attacks, resulting in 18 fatalities and 22 injuries. North Waziristan, Bajaur, and South Waziristan were the most affected districts, with nine, five, and four attacks reported, respectively.
Balochistan reported 16 attacks, resulting in 21 fatalities, including 17 civilians and four security personnel, with 31 individuals injured. Most of these attacks occurred in the Baloch belt of the province, particularly in the south and southwest.
In Punjab, militant activities surged with four attacks reported in April compared to one in March, resulting in three fatalities. Meanwhile, Sindh experienced one attack, resulting in three fatalities.
In the first four months of the year, the country faced a total of 323 militant attacks, resulting in 324 fatalities and 387 injuries.
May 2, 2024
Source: Dawn