Pakistan experiences a Militancy Resurgence, as militancy spikes to 43% in the month of October 2021: PICSS

ISLAMABAD, Nov 01 (SABAH): The security situation in Pakistan experienced an upwards surge, as a militant uprising was witnessed when the militant attacks rose spontaneously from a total of 23 incidents in September to a total of 33 incidents in October. Thus resulting into a 43% increase in militant attacks during the month of October, 2021 alone. This has been the second highest number of militant attacks witnessed by Pakistan in the year 2021;with the highest being a total of 45 incidents recorded in August 2021.

According to the statistics released by Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), in these 33 reported incidents a total of 36 casualties occurred, in which 27 security personnel and 9 civilians were killed. Meanwhile, 35 people were injured as a result of these militant attacks, out of which 23 were security force personnel and 12 civilians were injured. Thus, the death toll surged by a whopping 44% and the injured count fell by 24%.

According to statistics reported in the PICSS database, the highest number of militant attack incidents, a total of 16 incidents; was reported from the tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (former FATA region). In these incidents two civilians and sixteen security forces personnel were killed. On the other hand, eight people were injured out of which six were security forces personnel and two were civilians. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province followed with a total of 9 reported incidents of militant attacks in which nine security forces personnel were killed and no other casualty was reported. Only one civilian was injured during these attacks.

Six militant attack incidents were reported from Balochistan, in which six people were killed comprising of two security force personnel and four civilians. However, the highest number of injuries reported from this region, as seventeen security personnel and nine civilians were injured during these violent attacks resulting into a total of 26 injured personnel. One incident each was reported from Sindh and Punjab, where two civilians from Sindh and one civilian from the Punjab region was killed.

As compared to the month of September 2021, there was a 67% rise in the most commonly adopted mode of militant attack i.e.; guerilla attacks, with six incidents reported from the FATA region, three from the KPK region and one incident reported from Balochistan. In these attacks a total of 11 casualties were reported and three people were injured. Guerilla attacks were followed closely by Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attacks (12 incidents). In these incidents eleven people were killed and 28 were left injured. Target killing rose by an alarming 75% as a total of seven incidents were reported compared to four incidents that were reported in the month of September. In the seven incidents eight casualties were reported. Grenade attacks in October followed the similar trajectory of the month of September, as only two grenade attacks were reported in which a civilian was killed and four were left injured.

The security forces conducted 12 counter – terrorism operations the month of October 2021, in which 32 casualties were reported. Amongst these the highest number of militants killed were 19 militants killed during operations in Balochistan, while only two security personnel died in the FATA region, a total of four arrests were done, out of which three were done from the federal capital alone. Balochistan, KPK and the FATA regions remained in the limelight as they encountered three incidents each of counter terrorism operations.

The FATA region, KPK and Balochistan were, yet again, the most afflicted provinces in the month of October 2021.No suicide attacks were reported nationwide.