Pakistan: 269 die in terrorist attacks in first nine months of 2019

Pakistan’s War on Terror: Soldiers seen during an operation against the terrorists (File photo from PICSS website)

By Nasir Aijaz
AsiaN Representative

Islamabad: Militants carried out 130 attacks in different areas of Pakistan, in first nine months of 2019 in which 269 people have been killed and 595 injured. Average militant attacks per month have dropped from 19 to 14, while average deaths fell to 30, from 50 in the corresponding months of last year.

Meanwhile, a slight decrease was observed in militant attacks across the Pakistan in September 2019, according to statistics released by Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) Islamabad and posted on its website.

A total of 23 terror-related violence incidents were reported, including militant attacks and security forces actions in September 2019 as compared to 21 incidents in August 2019. Resultantly, eight militants, 11 security forces personnel and 12 civilians got killed.

PICSS also reported 10 arrests and 2 kidnapping cases in September this year. Total injuries after these anti state violence-related acts were 49 including 26 civilians and 23 officials of security forces. Overall anti-State violence-related incidents increased by around 10%. However, number of militant attacks dropped by 11% in September 2019.

PICSS recorded 16 militant attacks during September, as compared to 18 militants’ attacks in August 2019.  In these 16 militant attacks, 10 security forces personnel and 12 civilians lost their lives while 2 militants were also killed. About 44 people got injured in the militant attacks in which 26 were civilians and 18 were the security officials. The number of militant attacks in tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has remained same as of August, but casualties have slightly increased. In eight attacks in August, 9 people were killed, whereas, in September 14 persons got killed in militant attacks. Balochistan region were faced 6 militant attacks with 6 casualties.

According to statistics collected by PICSS regarding anti-state violence in Pakistan, a total number of 10 IEDs were recorded with 4 in Balochistan, 5 in the tribal districts, one in KP. There were two militants’ physical assaults that were also noted throughout the country with one in KP and one in the tribal district. There was one target killing incident recorded in Balochistan. One grenade attack was also noted in Balochistan as well.

PICSS also recorded a suicide attack in Balochistan. A security force personnel was martyred and three others were injured in a clash with militants in Quetta on 30th September 2019, while security personnel killed one militant and another blew himself up.

PICSS statistics revealed that security forces conducted seven operations against the militants in the country during September 2019. In these seven security forces’ actions, six suspected militants were killed. Also, one security forces’ personnel got killed. Security forces activities in Balochistan during the month was also notable. Six suspected members of the militant Islamic State (IS) group, including a local commander, were killed in a gun battle with security forces during an intelligence-based operation in the Eastern Bypass area in Quetta on 3rd September 2019. This was a big blow to IS in the province which had established its Pakistan chapter back in May 2019 to step up its operations in the country.