Pakistan Army Chief Addresses Rising Tensions in Balochistan Following Deadly Clashes
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According to a report from the Center for Research and Security Studies, 2024 was the deadliest year for Pakistani security forces in the last nine years. The report indicates that nearly seven lives were lost daily, with a total of at least 685 fatalities and 444 terror attacks recorded throughout the year.
Recent militant attacks continue to pose a serious threat, exemplified by an attack early Tuesday at the Draban Post in Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where a police officer and a civilian, a Customs department employee, were killed. Although no group has claimed responsibility for this incident, the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, is often blamed for similar attacks.
The report notes that cumulative losses, including both civilians and security personnel, reached 1,612 fatalities. This figure signifies a 73% increase in losses as compared to the number of militants eliminated, which stood at 934. Abdullah Khan, the managing director of the Institute for Conflict and Security, highlighted that there was a 40% surge in militant attacks compared to the previous year, causing additional concern regarding the law and order situation in Pakistan.
Military officials confirmed that in 2024, they killed 925 insurgents, marking a record high compared to the last five years, while 383 soldiers were also reported killed in action. The military has intensified operations against the Pakistani Taliban, particularly after the Taliban's rise to power in Afghanistan in 2021.