'88 terrorists killed in 2024 so far': IG KP on security situation in province

PESHAWAR: As Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continues to battle the scourge of terrorism, the province's Inspector General of Police (IGP) Akhtar Hayat Khan Thursday said as many as 88 terrorists have been neutralised in various anti-terror operations since January 1, 2024.

Speaking to Geo News, IG Khan said that several high-value targets were among those killed in various operations, which have also resulted in apprehension of several militants.

Stressing that the law and order situation has improved in Dera Ismail Khan and the merged districts of the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), the KP police chief said that the militants will continue to be pursued via intelligence-based operations (IBOs).

On the sacrifices rendered by the police in the fight against terrorism, the officer said that 41 police personnel have embraced martyrdom in the ongoing year as part of the police force's fight against terrorism.

"The security of foreigners has been improved," he said while addressing the issue of security threats faced by foreign nationals in the province that also saw five Chinese citizens, including a woman, being killed in a suicide attack in Shangla's Besham city last month.

His remarks come as KP, along with Balochistan, has witnessed a significant surge in terrorist attacks in recent months.

Both provinces accounted for over 92% of all fatalities and 86% of attacks — including incidents of terrorism and security forces operations — during the first quarter (Q1) of 2024.

These numbers were quoted in the Q1 2024 Security Report issued by the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS).

As per the report, Pakistan witnessed 432 violence-linked fatalities and 370 injuries among civilians, security personnel and outlaws resulting from as many as 245 incidents of terror attacks and counter-terror operations. This includes 281 fatalities among civilians and security forces personnel.

Individually, KP suffered 51% and Balochistan 41% of all fatalities in Q1, 2024. The data indicated that the remaining regions were relatively peaceful, suffering less than 8% of all fatalities.