Terrorist Attacks In Pakistan Decrease By 43% In September: Study

Terrorist Attacks In Pakistan Decrease By 43% In September: Study
ISLAMABAD: Terrorist attacks in Pakistan have decreased by almost 43 per cent and only 12 terrorist attacks took place in the country during September 2019. These attacks claimed the lives of 19 people and injured 27 others.

Of the 19 people killed in terrorist violence in September, at least 10 were civilians, around seven belonged to the security forces (three soldiers, two FC men, one policeman and one Levies personnel), and two militants. Those injured included 13 civilians and 14 security personnel, according to statistics revealed in the monthly security review published by PIPS for September.

Out of the total 12 reported attacks in September, seven happened in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), which killed 14 people – compared to 16 in the previous month – and injured 10 others.

A total of five terrorist attacks took place in Balochistan in September, compared to nine in the previous month. These attacks killed five  people, including four civilians and one Levies personnel, and injured 17 others.

Out of the total 12 reported terrorist attacks in Pakistan, at least nine were carried out by religiously inspired militants groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Hizbul Ahrar and local Taliban splinter groups.

These attacks claimed the lives of 18 people and wounded 21 others. Different Baloch insurgent groups carried out three attacks in Balochistan, which caused one death and injured six people.

While the situation at the Line of Control (LoC) with India remained tense, one cross-border attack from Afghanistan also claimed the lives of three army soldiers. On the whole, compared to 13 in the previous month, around 12 cross-border attacks from India and one from Afghanistan were witnessed, which claimed the lives of nine people, including five Pakistani army soldiers and four civilians, while injuring 10 others.

Moreover, one anti-militant operational strike was reported during the month under review which killed six militants while one policeman also lost his life in the attack. Meanwhile, law enforcers had two encounters with militants in Balochistan and KP, as a result of which three militants were killed along with one policeman.
Correspondent Islamabad

The author is a reporter based in Islamabad.