Casualties in militant attacks in Pakistan increase in April: Study

There is a slight increase in casualties in militant attacks in Pakistan in April, even as the number of such assaults remained the same as compared to March, according to a new study. Militants appear to be trying to get back some territory in North Waziristan tribal district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where most of these violent activities were recorded in April, the Dawn reported on Saturday citing the study released by Islamabad-based think tank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS). Ninety percent of the casualties in violent incidents during the month of April took place in the North Waziristan district.

A slight increase is also observed in the activities of Pakistani security forces against militants. According to the statistics released by PICSS, the number of casualties in militant activities across Pakistan increased by 6 percent in April as compared to March. PICSS recorded a total of nine militant attacks during April in which 18 people died 10 security personnel and eight militants while six security forces personnel got injured. Tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa witnessed the highest number of violent militant activities, where six out of total nine attacks took place. Eight security personnel lost their lives in the tribal districts of KP, while eight militants were also killed. Four security personnel were also injured. Apart from eight militants killed during retaliatory actions by security forces, 21 more militants were killed in KP in actions initiated by security forces, the study said. Two militant attacks were reported in Balochistan and one in Sindh all of them of minor nature with two casualties in Balochistan.

No militant activity was recorded in Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Pakistani security forces carried out a total of 16 actions against militants in areas of Balochistan in Khyber Pakh­tunkhwa, and Sindh. Pakistani forces arrested 12 suspects involved in different terror and anti-state activities, including eight from Sindh and four from KP. Four members of Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent were also arrested in Karachi. According to the report, an assistant sub-inspector of police was arrested for his alleged ties with the Indian intelligence agency RAW (Research and Analysis Wing).