By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Militant violence in Pakistan escalated slightly in November, with a sharp increase in civilian fatalities even as losses among security forces plummeted, according to a report released by a leading think tank on Monday.
The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies, an Islamabad-based organisation that tracks conflict trends, documented 97 militant attacks across the country last month, up from 89 in October. The violence resulted in 292 deaths and 164 injuries, the report said, highlighting a troubling shift in the human cost of the ongoing insurgency.
Civilian deaths surged by 80 percent, rising to 54 from 30 in October, while security forces fatalities dropped by about 65 percent, to 25 from 72. The think tank attributed the decline in military losses to “more measured actions” by security forces.
The majority of those killed were militants, with 206 eliminated during the month, accounting for about 71 percent of total fatalities. Seven members of pro-government peace committees also died in the violence.
Among the injured were 83 security forces personnel, 67 civilians, 10 militants and four peace committee members. The report identified mainland Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas, now merged into the province, as the primary arenas for counter-militancy operations. Security forces killed 137 militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 58 in the erstwhile tribal areas.
A notable spike in suicide bombings compounded the month’s toll. Four such attacks were recorded in November, compared with one in October, with incidents reported in Islamabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and the former tribal regions. These bombings killed 31 people, including 15 militants, 12 civilians and four security forces personnel. An additional 64 people were injured, among them 41 civilians and 23 members of the security forces.
The think tank warned of a broader upward trend in suicide attacks, noting that 24 had been documented in the first 11 months of 2025, up from 17 for all of 2024. The cumulative figures for the year paint a grim picture. From January through November, the institute recorded 3,144 conflict-related deaths, including 1,940 militants, 626 security forces personnel, 563 civilians and 15 peace committee members.
The report assessed that 2025 has been the deadliest year for militants since 2015, underscoring the intensity of Pakistan’s counterinsurgency efforts amid persistent threats from groups like the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and separatist insurgents in Balochistan.
Pakistan has grappled with militancy for decades, particularly in its northwestern regions bordering Afghanistan, where cross-border tensions and internal displacements have exacerbated the conflict. The government’s operations have often drawn criticism for their impact on civilian populations, though officials maintain they are necessary to restore stability.
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