TRAC Terorism in the Weekly Analyst Briefing of 24 October has recorded the latest complex attack launched by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants on October 14. The coordinated assault on the Iqbal Shaheed Police Lines using sophisticated weapons, rocket launchers, and hand grenades, killed four police personnel. The attack, which resulted in a six-hour standoff, ended with all five militants being killed by security forces. Notably, the militants were disguised as women in traditional burqas and wore suicide vests underneath, a tactic TTP has used before to mask the identity of attackers and gain entry to high-security zones.
The attackers reached the police lines via a rickshaw and motorcycle, opening fire at the main gate upon arrival. They were heavily armed with advanced weaponry, indicating a well-coordinated and planned operation. The attack occurred shortly after the funeral prayers of Head Constable Shaista Khan, who had been killed in a previous gun attack in Bakkakhel, further emphasizing the targeted nature of the assault.
TRAC denotes that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, particularly the region where this attack occurred, has seen a significant rise in militant activity over the past two years, primarily from TTP and affiliates of Islamic State Khurasan Province (ISK). The increasing frequency of attacks, including ambushes like the one in Tehra last month where several Pakistani soldiers were killed, highlights the resurgence of these militant groups in the region. The TTP's use of burqas as disguises and their reliance on sophisticated weapons, such as rocket launchers and suicide vests, underscores their evolving strategies to maximize casualties and challenge the state’s security apparatus.
As per TRAC, this attack is emblematic of the broader destabilization that Islamist extremist groups are causing across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The infiltration of these militants into high-security zones and the increasing boldness of their attacks suggest a well-organized network and a failure of the state to suppress the resurgence of militancy in the region. TRAC has recorded similar incidents where attackers disguise themselves as female suicide bombers to evade detection, indicating that TTP and ISK are adapting their tactics to remain effective despite counter-terrorism efforts.
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