Are TTP Attacks on the Rise in Pakistan?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- TTP attacks have surged nearly 70% since the Taliban's rise to power.
- The TTP is considered one of Pakistan's most serious internal security threats.
- Recent violence includes an IED blast and targeted shootings against police.
- Regional cooperation is crucial to combatting cross-border terrorism.
- The Taliban has denied allegations of supporting TTP operations.
Kabul, Jan 5 (NationPress) There has been a significant increase in militant activity throughout Pakistan in recent years, particularly involving Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), with incidents reported mainly in border provinces and former tribal regions, as highlighted in various reports.
Since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021, the frequency of TTP attacks in Pakistan has escalated, according to Khaama Press citing local media. Recent evaluations released on Sunday indicate that militant assaults against both security forces and civilians have surged by almost 70 percent nationwide.
Security experts mentioned in the report consider the TTP to be one of the most significant internal security challenges for Pakistan, especially in the former tribal districts adjacent to the Afghan border, as reported by Khaama Press. The TTP has executed numerous attacks in Pakistan following the cessation of peace negotiations between the two parties in 2022.
Pakistan has consistently accused the TTP of operating from Afghan territory, urging the Taliban to prevent the usage of Afghan land for assaults on neighboring countries. However, the Taliban has repeatedly dismissed these accusations, asserting that they do not permit any group to pose a threat to other nations.
In a related incident, at least one person was killed, and nine others sustained injuries from an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion targeting a cement factory vehicle in the Lakki Marwat district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday, as reported by local media.
According to police, the blast occurred on Begukhel Road near Nawarkhel Mor. The deceased was identified as Fareedullah, while the injured included Mir Ahmad, Abdul Malik, Umar Khan, Masal Khan, and Syed Jan, according to Geo News.
Following the explosion, rescue teams arrived at the scene and transported the injured individuals to City Hospital in Lakki.
This blast happened amidst a rising trend of attacks against law enforcement officials in Pakistan, particularly in the border provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The attack comes just a day after four police officers were killed in two separate shooting incidents in Lakki Marwat and Bannu districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In Lakki Marwat's Sarai Naurang city, three police personnel were fatally shot by unidentified assailants on a motorcycle targeting traffic police, as confirmed by a police spokesperson, according to Geo News. The attackers fled the scene.
The deceased were identified as Traffic Police In-charge Naurang Jalal Khan, Constable Azizullah, and Constable Abdullah. An investigation into the incident has been initiated by the police.