FATA Timeline - Year 2018

January 1

The report compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) shows that terrorists carried out 23 suicide attacks in different parts of the country in 2017, whereas 2016 and 2015 had witnessed 17 and 18 such incidents, respectively.

1,387 people, including 585 civilians, 555 militants and 247 SFs personnel, were killed and 1,965 people, including 1,580 civilians, were injured in militancy-related incidents, including militant attacks and SFs actions. Militants carried out at least 420 attacks in which 912 people, including 584 civilians, 225 SFs personnel and 103 militants, were killed and 1,877 injured. SFs conducted 522 operations in which left 475 people, including 452 militants and 22 SFs personnel, dead and 88 people injured. SFs also arrested 1,760 suspected militants during 2017.

The year 2017 saw the highest number of militant attacks in Balochistan where 183 militant attacks took place in which 308 people, including 208 civilians and 84 SFs personnel, were killed and 572 people suffered injuries. The province remained target of a variety of militant groups, including sub-nationalist militants, sectarian and international militant groups. Overall 43pc of the total militant attacks in the country were recorded in Balochistan and 10 out of 23 suicide attacks (43pc) took place in the province. SFs conducted 134 operations against militants in Balochistan in which 112 militants were killed and 657 arrested.

102 militant attacks were recorded in FATA in which 339 people, including 206 civilians, 65 SFs and 68 militants, were killed and 858 people, including 629 civilians, suffered injuries. As many as 58 security operations were reported from FATA in which 84 militants and five SFs were killed. SFs also arrested at least 79 suspects from FATA.

SFs conducted at least four actions in Azad Kashmir in which 12 suspected militants were arrested. Fourteen suspected militants were arrested from Gilgit-Baltistan region in two Sfs actions while four suspects were arrested in three actions in Islamabad.

KP witnessed significant improvement in security situation as all indicators saw negative trends. There was 40pc decline in the number of militant attacks and 47pc decline in the number of deaths in the province. A total of 75 militant attacks were recorded in KP in which 92 people, including 43 civilians, 34 SFs personnel and 15 militants, were killed while 175 people, including 136 civilians, were injured. KP saw the second highest number of suicide attacks during the year as at least six suicide attacks were reported from the province. In 2016, five suicide attacks took place in the province. SFs conducted at least 103 actions against militants in which 543 suspects were arrested and 41 killed during 2017.

Sindh saw a 40pc decrease in militant attacks, but with 84pc increase in the number of deaths during 2017. Militants carried out 40 attacks in the province killing 112 people, including 92 civilians and 17 SFs personnel. Another 303 people were injured in these attacks. The province saw one suicide attack during 2017. SFs conducted at least 98 actions against militants in which 110 suspects were killed and 153 arrested.

Punjab witnessed seven per cent increase in militant attacks, but there was 37pc decline in deaths. During the year, 15 militant attacks took place in the province in which 59 people, including 34 civilians and 24 SFs personnel, were killed and 208 people, all of them civilians, suffered injuries. The province also witnessed three suicide bombings one more than 2016. SFs conducted 119 operations against militants in the province in which 105 militants were killed and 298 arrested.

Two militant attacks were reported from Azad Jammu and Kashmir in which one civilian died and five were injured. Three violent militant activities of low intensity were reported from Islamabad in which one person lost his life. No violent militant activity was reported from Gilgit-Baltistan region.

January 2

FATA Law and Order Officials confirmed that 6,112 civilians were killed and another 6,707 others have been injured in the ‘war against terrorism’ since 2001 (period not specified during a meeting of the standing committee on the Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) in Islamabad. Families of the killed have been paid 3.7 billion rupees in compensation so far. Families of 244 Levies and 178 Khasadar Personnel were among the 5,690 civilians, who had received the compensation amount.

January 4

Four missiles were fired near sub-division complex Bahai Daag in Mamad Kore area of Khewazai Biazai in Mohmand agency from across the Pakistan-Afghanistan Border. No casualties or injuries were reported.

An IED planted near the residence of Malik Hayat Gul of Masood Adamzai in Safi Tehsil in Mohmand Agency went off early. No casualties or injuries were reported.

An IED recovered and defused by the BDU of Mohmand Rifles at Olai Top Border area in Biazai sub-division in Mohmand Agency.

January 5

A FC Personal was injured in IED explosion in Ainger area of Mohmand Agency.

January 6

One suspect, identified as as Gul Qayum s/o Akhtar Qayum, was arrested and arms and ammunition were recovered by Khasdar Force in the Zergraan area of Landi Kotal tehsil in Khyber agency. The recovery included 55 SMGs and 1150 rounds.

TTP and its associated outfits remain the most potent threat followed by nationalist insurgent groups despite a 16 per cent decline in militant attacks in 2017, said a security report issued by PIPS. The report mentioned that IS footprint was increasing in Balochistan, FATA and Northern Sindh, and were carrying out deadly attacks. The report said that militant, nationalist and violent sectarian groups carried out, in all, 370 terrorist attacks in 64 districts of Pakistan during the year 2017, including 24 suicide and gun-and-suicide coordinated attacks, killing 815 people, besides injuring 1,736. These attacks posted a 16 per cent decrease from the total in 2016; and the number of people killed also dropped by 10 per cent.

Of these attacks, as many as 213, or 58 per cent, were perpetrated by TTP , its splinter groups, mainly JuA and other militant groups with similar objectives such as local Taliban groups, killing 186 people. Nationalist insurgent groups, mostly in Balochistan and a few in Sindh, carried out 138 attacks, or 37 per cent of the total, killing 140 people. As many as 19 terrorist attacks were sectarian, which killed 71 people and inflicted injuries on 97 others, according to the report. It also noted that compared to 2016, a significant surge of 131 per cent was witnessed during 2017 in cross-border attacks from Pakistan’s borders with Afghanistan, India and Iran. A total of 171 cross-border attacks claimed 188 lives and injured 348 others.

SFs and LEA killed a total of 524 militants in 2017, as against 809 in 2016, in 75 military operations as well as 68 armed clashes and encounters with the militants reported from across the four provinces and FATA. According to the report, some new challenges raised their heads, including emergence of self-radicalised individuals and small terrorist cells, growing incidence of religious extremism including on educational campuses, and, most importantly, increasing footprints of IS in parts of the country and convergence of its fighters in Afghanistan near Pakistani border. In 2017, IS and its local affiliates claimed 6 major attacks, killing 153 people.

January 10

US State Department updated its threat assessment for Pakistan Balochistan, KP, FATA and PoK were placed in the “do not travel” category due to militancy.

January 11

One soldier was killed while two others were injured in a landmine explosion in the Sarobai area of the North Waziristan agency.

January 13

Police acting on information shared by the IA arrested two suspects and recovered 121 rifles and 16,000 cartridges in a truck near Sefan Square on Kohat Road in Peshawar in KP. The suspects were identified as Bilour and Raj Khan revealed that the weapons were being transported for smuggler identified as Parvez, a resident of Masho Khail in Peshawar in KP.

Another five suspects were arrested and weapons recovered in Barabhed area in Peshawar in KP. The recovery included 274 AK-47 riffles, one G3 rifle, 76 pistols, included seven 9mm, 20 pistols of 38 bore, 32 pistol of AK-47 style, 14 China riffle 7.62 mm, rifle Dangar bore 13,11 repeater and hundreds of cartridges of deferent bores.

January 14

Two children were injured in an explosion in Sarkokae area of SWA. The injured were identified as nine-year-old Kalsum and seven-year-old Rasheed.

A total of 324 violent incidents including 153 terrorism and 171 counter terrorism actions were recorded during 2017, which marked a 16 percent increase in militancy incidents, compared to the preceding year, says FATA Annual Security Report issued by FATA Research Centre, Islamabad. Out of the total 153 terrorist incidents in 2017, 73 terrorist attacks (48 percent) targeted the security forces, while 71 attacks (46 percent) were directed against civilians. Seven terrorist attacks (five percent) targeted members of civil militia or Amn Lashkar. Two incidents of infighting between terrorist groups were also report during the year 2017. The violent incidents both militants and counter-terrorists, resulted in a total of 1207 casualties 539 killed and 668 injured across FATA, marking an increase of 37 percent in overall casualties. Of the total casualties, 76O (138 Killed and 437 Injured) were that of civilians, accounting for 63 percent of the overall casualties. The report claimed that TTP, Islamic State of Khorasan (IS-K), Khan Said and Hakeemullah group of Mehsud Taliban, Wazir Taliban, Haqqani Network, Lashkar-e-JhangviAlmi and TTP-Jamat-ul-Ahrar remained the major actor of instability during the year 2017.

January 17

A man was injured in a US drone strike in Badshah Kot area near the Pak-Afghan border in Kurram Agency of FATA. According to officials, the man severely injured in the strike was identified as Khalid, said to be an "Afghan militant".

January 30

An IED explosion has killed eight people including three women and a child at Maqbal area of Kurram Agency in FATA. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

February 7

Two SF personals were killed and three others were injured when their vehicle was targeted by terrorists in Mir Ali tehsil of North Waziristan, in FATA.

February 8

The US drone strike killed at least three TTP militants including a key 'commander', identified as Sajna Mehsud, in the Gorwek area of NWA in FATA. The sources said the drone fired two missiles on a militant compound close to the Afghanistan border.

February 15

A tribal elder was killed and two others were injured in a landmine blast at Tor Simat area in Lower Orakzai Agency. The Political Administration said that tribal elder Malik Shah Khan, along with two aides, was travelling to Hangu when his vehicle hit a roadside landmine in the Tor Simat area of Lower Orakzai Agency.

The Pakistan Army killed two TTP suicide bombers near Ghatki Kaga, Mena in Bajaur Agency of FATA. "The two suicide bombers belonging to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan were tracked in an intelligence-based operation after they entered Bajaur Agency from Afghanistan through the Kagha Pass," said an ISPR, the military's media wing, statement. A suicide jacket, anti-tank mines, magnetic mines, prepared remote-controlled IED, remote-controlled receivers, detonators and communication equipment bearing Afghan mobile company signatures were recovered from the suicide bombers.

An Army Captain and a soldier were injured in a roadside IED explosion in the Paindee Cheena area near Zakhakhel bazaar in Tirah valley of Khyber Agency of FATA. The injured were identified as Captian Maqbool and Naik Barat Khattak.

Two polio workers were shot dead and three others were abducted by unidentified assailants in Safi tehsil of Mohmand Agency in FATA.

The house of Syed Akhunzada Chattan, a former member of the National Assembly and provincial vice-president of PPP, was attacked with a rocket in Aman Kot area of Khar tehsil in Bajaur Agency. The rocket fired from an unknown location hit the mud-made boundary wall of the house. Syed Akhunzada Chattan was present in the house at the time of attack. However, he and his family members remained safe. No one has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Two militants were killed during a search operation near the Pak-Afghan border in Tor Khwar area of Safi tehsil in Mohmand Agency of FATA. According to sources, SFs jointly conducted the operation after receiving information about the presence of militants in Tor Khwar area. The militants opened fire on security personnel during the search operation. In retaliatory fire two militants, Haq Nawaz and Mohsin were killed. SFs recovered rocket launchers, Kalashnikovs, ammunition and explosives from hideouts of the militants.

At least seven labourers sustained injuries after a bomb detonated by militants exploded at school in Aka Khel area in the Tirah Valley of Bara tehsil in Khyber Agency of FATA. According to sources, a heavy bomb was planted under the building of Boys Primary School that was under construction. Building was damaged in the explosion. According to Khyber Agency Education Office, 154 schools have been demolished in Bara, 64 are fully destroyed whereas 90 are partially damaged. 16 destroyed schools had been rebuilt under GSDP and 16 partially damaged schools had been reconstructed under UNDP. It is expected that under Chinese Aid, construction of 68 schools would be initiated in Bara.

At least five FC personnel deployed on the Pak-Afghan border were martyred, while five were injured in an attack from across the border on a border post in Laka Tika area of Kurram Agency in FATA. The ISPR said FC troops were fired upon from Khost province of Afghanistan while they were busy in "routine surveillance along Pak-Afghan border for plugging of gaps and making necessary preparations for starting fencing in that area." "Pakistani troops are exercising maximum restraint so as to avoid any Afghan civilian casualties," the statement said, adding: "Military engagement is underway to defuse [the] situation." According to Government officials, scores of armed tribesmen from Bangash and other tribes have started assembling to support the security personnel. Tribal elders reportedly made announcements at several mosques in the nearby areas, appealing tribesmen to join the security personnel on the border. Following the announcements, several armed tribesmen, belonging to Toori Bangish and other tribes started approaching the border posts.

Afghanistan officials handed over the bodies of five martyred personnel of the FC as well as an injured soldier to the elders of Kurram Agency in FATA as talks continued between the two sides to deescalate tension along the border. According to reports, 10 attackers from the Afghan side were also killed in clashes that erupted in the area after the FC men erecting a fence along the border at Laka Tiga post in Lower Kurram Agency came under fire. MNA Sajid Hussain Turi, who is leading a delegation of local tribes holding talks with the elders of Zazi tribe of Afghanistan, confirmed the death toll and said that 12 more personnel of the FC were wounded in the clashes with Afghan forces. They were taken to a hospital in Thall Garrison.

One soldier lost his life and three others suffered injuries in a roadside IED blast near Miramshah in North Waziristan Agency of FATA. Officials said that a military convoy was on its way to Miramshah from the Datakhel area when an IED went off near one of the vehicles. One soldier died and three others were injured. The martyred soldier was identified as Muhammad Hanif.

Another explosion reported in the Angher Village of North Waziristan Agency. However, no casualty was reported.

Three militants and one Soldier were killed during an exchange of fire along Pak-Afghan border in Mohmand Agency of FATA. ISPR said that a Soldier deployed at a checkpost near Pak-Afghan border embraced martyrdom during an exchange of fire with militants who raided the post from across the border. Forces deployed at the checkpost effectively responded and killed three terrorists. The killed Soldier was identified as Sepoy Farman Ullah (21).

Acting on the directives of civil and military leadership, the political administration of Mohmand Agency in FATA announced to slash the number of checkposts in the agency by half, read a statement issued. Moreover, it also announced that the administrative responsibilities of checkposts have been handed over to civil administration where Khasadar and Levies personnel will perform duties from now onwards. The SFs would fully cooperate with the civil administration in maintaining peace and order.

Three local tourists and a driver were shot dead by unidentified gunmen at Momi Karam area in South Waziristan Agency of FATA. Ikhlaq Bangash, the deputy administrator in South Waziristan stated that attackers torched the camp after shooting the tourists and fleeing.

May 13

At least six Army personnel, including a junior commissioned officer, were killed and another injured in a terrorist attack on them near the Afghan border in the Shawal Valley area of North Waziristan Agency in FATA. Security officials said that members of the bomb disposal squad were clearing a road near the Afghan border for the SFs when a group of terrorists from Afghanistan's Paktika province ambushed them. No militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Two soldiers were killed and three others sustained injuries in an IED explosion near Datakhel area of North Waziristan Agency in FATA. The ISPR said that the blast took place when an IED planted on track by militants went off near a security forces vehicle. The deceased were identified as Lance Naik Momin Ali and Sepoy Saleem.

SFs repulsed terrorist attacks from across the Pak-Afghan border, killing six militants in Bajaur Agency of FATA. ISPR said the attacks targeted border posts and border fencing parties. SF personnel have foiled seven infiltration attempts in the Bajaur area alone during the last 24 hours, it added. "Four security personnel and a soldier of the Pakistan Air Force, deployed at an observation post, got injured during the exchange of fire," read an ISPR press release. "Taking advantage of ungoverned spaces and [with] facilitation [from] inside Afghanistan, terrorists are resorting to such attacks to prevent fencing and construction of border posts," it added.

Four people, including two activists of the PTM, were killed and dozens of others injured in a militant attack in Wana town of South Waziristan Agency. Sources said that the militants targeted a PTM rally that was organised to welcome one of the movement's leaders, Ali Wazir. PTM leader Mohsin Dawar confirmed the incident, saying the militants opened indiscriminate fire at the rally, killing and injuring a number of PTM supporters.