Militants stepped up attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in June: PIPS monthly security review

Islamabad (PR) – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the most affected region of Pakistan in June in terms of the incidence of terrorist attacks. As many as 15 attacks killed 18 people and injured 31 others in the province; 8 of these attacks concentrated in North and South Waziristan alone. Pak Institute for Peace Studies’ (PIPS) monthly security review of Pakistan revealed these statistics.

On the whole, compared to 18 in the month before, 25 terrorist attacks were recorded in Pakistan in June 2019. These attacks claimed the lives of 33 people – compared to 49 in previous month – and wounded 55 others. Among those 33 killed in terrorist attacks in June were 10 civilians, and 19 personnel of security and law enforcement agencies (8 army soldiers, 5 FC men and 6 policemen), besides 4 militants.

As many as 64 percent of the total attacks recorded in June hit personnel of security and law enforcement causing 23 deaths and injuries to 29 others.

Eight (8) attacks in Balochistan claimed 12 lives besides injuring 24 others. Two of these attacks were sectarian-related that targeted Hazara Shia and Bohra communities in Ziarat.

Two terrorist attacks happened in Sindh, one each in Karachi and Kashmore, killing 3 people in all including 2 policemen and one FC official.

Most of the recorded terrorist attacks in June were carried out by religiously inspired militants groups (18 attacks) such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and similar groups, which claimed 25 lives and wounded 36 others. Different Baloch insurgent groups carried out 5 attacks – 4 in Balochistan and one in interior Sindh – which caused 3 deaths and injuries to another 6 people. Two sectarian-related attacks killed 5 people in Balochistan.