At least six individuals, including police officers, lost their lives, and several others sustained injuries in a suicide bombing in North Waziristan on Saturday, according to police sources. The attack targeted a police post located in Eidak, Mir Ali. Among those killed, four were police personnel.
Following the explosion, security forces cordoned off the area, and rescue teams transported the injured to nearby hospitals. This incident is part of an escalating wave of terrorism in Pakistan, which has surged since the Taliban regained control in Afghanistan in 2021. The majority of these attacks have occurred in provinces along the Afghan border, particularly Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan.
In response, security forces have intensified their anti-terrorism operations. In North Waziristan alone, around a dozen militants were neutralized by the military this month as part of efforts to counteract terrorism.
A report by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), released earlier this month, highlights a troubling trend: the third quarter of 2024 witnessed a significant rise in fatalities linked to terrorist violence and counter-terrorism operations. The report reveals a 90% increase in violent incidents compared to previous periods, with a total death toll for 2024’s first three quarters surpassing the entire 2023 figures. As of now, 722 lives have been claimed in terrorist and counter-terror activities, including those of civilians, security forces, and militants.
Approximately 97% of these fatalities occurred in KP and Balochistan, marking the highest regional impact in a decade.
