Pakistan ramps up military operations amid surge in violent attacks
Al Jazeera
The military says it killed eight ‘terrorists’ over the weekend. But analysts say Pakistan’s response is inadequate.
Islamabad, Pakistan – The Pakistani military has said it carried out major “intelligence-based operations” over the weekend, eliminating eight individuals in two separate incidents in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. It claimed the men killed in the operations were involved in violent activities.
In a statement released on Sunday, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) – the military’s media wing – said the operations took place in the Bannu and Khyber districts. Two military personnel were also killed in the operations.
The military’s actions against the armed groups come at a time when more and more Pakistanis are dying in a growing spate of violent attacks. According to the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), there were at least 71 attacks by armed groups in November, most of which took place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, with security forces reporting the deaths of at least 127 fighters.
The number of attacks in 2024 has already surpassed last year’s total, with more than 856 incidents recorded until November compared with 645 in 2023. These attacks resulted in more than 1,000 deaths, including those of civilians and law enforcement personnel.
One of the deadliest attacks took place on November 9, when a suicide bomber detonated explosives at a railway station in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province. Nearly 30 people were killed, including civilians and soldiers waiting for their trains.
