27 terror attacks take place in Pakistan since Taliban takeover in Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD: As many as 27 terrorist attacks took place across Pakistan since Taliban takeover of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, killing at least 58 civilians and security personnel, whereas, 74 suspected terrorists have also been killed during this period.

According to data compiled by Business Recorder from independent sources and media reports, out of the 58 casualties, 16 were civilians and 42 security personnel who lost their lives to the terrorist attacks during the said period.

There has been a slight decline in the terror attacks during the current month of November following the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) announced a month-long ceasefire on November 9 as a result of the ongoing peace talks with the government of Pakistan being facilitated by the Afghan Taliban.

After the temporary ceasefire which was confirmed both by the government of Pakistan and the proscribed TTP earlier this month, there has been no indication of any such attack to have been claimed by the militant outfit.

During the month of November, a total of four terrorist attacks were reported, in which six civilians and two security personnel lost their lives, while four terrorists were also killed, of which one attack was carried out by the banned TTP in Thall Tehsil of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on November 2, before the militant outfit announced a ceasefire on November 9. At least four militants associated with the TTP were killed in the attack.

After November 9 ceasefire, three terror attacks were reported, two in Balochistan – on November 12 in Quetta and November 21 in Harnai, Balochistan – with no militant outfit claiming the responsibility for both the attacks. A total of six civilians lost their lives in both the attacks. The third and the latest terrorist attack was carried out in Datta Khel area of North Waziristan on November 27, as according to the ISPR, the terrorists targeted a military post in the bordering area.

During the intense exchange of fire, two soldiers, Naik Rehman, age 27 years, resident of Chitral and Lance Naik Arif, age 22 years, resident of Tank, embraced martyrdom, the ISPR further stated on Saturday.

The month of October witnessed a total of 10 terrorist attacks, in which 18 security personnel lost their lives, while 26 terrorists were also killed during the month, according to independent sources.

The month of August was the deadliest so far during the year, in which a total of 13 terrorist attacks took place, killing 26 civilians and six security personnel, while 37 militants were also killed during the month.

Of the total 13 terror attacks, seven took place after August 15 when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, in which 10 civilians and five security personnel lost their lives while 21 militants were also killed.

Talking to Business Recorder, on condition of anonymity, a senior government official said that despite the ongoing talks with the TTP, security forces are still alert to foil any terrorist attack, as the threat from the so-called IS-Khorasan also known as Daesh and the Baloch separatist militants could not be ruled out.

About the talks with the TTP, he said that no demands contrary to the Constitution and the law of the land would be accepted.

On Thursday, Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, while responding to a question during his weekly media briefing about some demands put forward by the TTP such as reversal of the Fata merger, termed some of the TTP’s demands as “ridiculous and not acceptable.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021