ISLAMABAD: Pakistan witnessed another horrific month of anti-state violence in November 2024, in which 245 people lost their lives and 257 others were injured.
According to data released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), the casualties include 127 militants, 68 security forces personnel and 50 civilians. The injured include 119 civilians, 104 security forces personnel and 34 militants. Security forces arrested 20 suspected militants, while militant groups were responsible for abducting 11 people during the month.
Of the total casualties, 131 were killed in militant attacks, including 54 security forces personnel, 50 civilians and 27 militants. 220 people were injured in these attacks, including 119 civilians, 95 security forces personnel and six militants. Meanwhile, out of the total 245 casualties, 114 were attributed to security forces operations, in which 100 militants and 14 security personnel were killed. PICSS reported an increase in militant activity, recording 71 attacks in November compared to 68 in October.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) was the worst affected province, where 50 militant attacks resulted in 71 deaths and 85 injuries. Within KP, there were 28 incidents in the merged districts (formerly FATA), resulting in 36 deaths, including 19 civilians, nine security personnel and eight militants.
62 people were injured in these attacks, including 33 civilians, 27 security personnel and two militants. As a result of the operations of the security forces in these areas, 64 militants were killed and 12 security personnel lost their lives, 23 militants and 9 personnel were injured. In Sarzamin KP, 22 militant attacks killed 35 people, including 19 security forces personnel, 10 militants, and six civilians, while 23 others were injured. 17 militants were killed and five injured as a result of security operations in Sarzaman KP.
Kurram tribal district witnessed one of the worst sectarian clashes in recent history between Sunni and Shia tribes, in which more than 120 lives were lost.
Balochistan recorded 20 militant attacks, resulting in the deaths of 60 people, including 26 security forces personnel, 25 civilians and 9 militants. 135 people were injured in these attacks, including 78 civilians, 53 security forces personnel and four militants. 16 militants and two security personnel were killed in security forces operations in Balochistan.
In Punjab’s DG Khan district, militants launched a coordinated attack on a police station, which was successfully repelled, according to police officials. No militant attacks were reported in Sindh, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Islamabad, or Gilgit-Baltistan.
However, the Karachi authorities arrested the mastermind of the suicide bomb attack that targeted Chinese citizens near Karachi Airport. Additionally, three militants were arrested in Islamabad. The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) highlighted that militant deaths (127) in November were the highest in a month since February 2017, when 148 militants were killed. However, security forces also suffered significant losses, with 68 personnel killed, the highest monthly toll since January 2023, when 114 security forces personnel lost their lives.
PICSS noted that the number of deaths from militant attacks in the first 11 months of 2024 exceeded 1,000 (1,082). A total of 856 militant attacks took place in the year, while 645 were recorded in the entire period of 2023, indicating the increasing security challenges faced. The country