An Overview
The overall security situation in Pakistan remained volatile during the month of July. In 231 reported terrorist/insurgent attacks 203 people were killed and 517 were injured. The North West Frontier Province (NWFP) was the worst hit area of the country as most of the terrorist incidents and counter-terrorist operations took place there. Out of 231 terrorist/insurgent attacks 110 took place in NWFP in which 100 people were killed and 192 others were injured. Like NWFP, Balochistan also remained in the grip of insecurity and violence where 71 insurgent attacks were reported which claimed 27 lives and 78 injuries. The restive Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan (FATA) continued to be a security challenge for the security forces as 43 terrorist attacks were recorded which resulted in 49 killings and 88 injuries. Karachi and Punjab witnessed 3 attacks each while one incident of terrorism took place in Sindh. The other areas of the country stayed relatively calm and peaceful in terms of terrorism and militancy. (see Chart 1).

Chart 1: Terrorist Attacks in Pakistan in July 2009

The overall death casualties amount to 1,144 people with 1,033 injuries in 60 operational attacks, 21 clashes between security forces and the militants, 10 incidents of cross-border attacks, 16 incidents of ethno-political violence, and 34 inter-tribal clashes along with 231 terrorist/insurgent attacks recoreded in this month across Pakistan. (see Table 2)

Comparing the data of last two months with the figures collected in July 2009, a decline is visible in casualties (see Chart 3). The abrupt fall in casualties is due to decrease in intensity of ongoing military operation in trouble areas of Malakand division.

Chart 3: Comparison with Last Six Months’ Figures

The militants suffered the most number of casualties for the third consecutive month due to ongoing military operation in Malakand division. The Taliban militants suffered 737 life losses and 299 injuries followed by civilian casualties that included 315 killed and 512 injured. During this month security forces lost 92 personnel and suffered 222 injuries. (see Table 4 and Table 4a).

 

Table 4a: Distribution of Casualties (July ‘09)

A variety of tactics was employed by the militants to meet their ends throughout the country. The most widely used tactic was direct shootout with 47 incidents of firing. The militants also detonated 33 IEDs, 31 bombs and 24 RCBs.  30 attacks of rocket firing, 22 hand grenades and planting of 13 landmines remained the preferred tactics of attacks during the month (see Table 5).