Terrorist Attacks and Conflict Intensity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Since the August 2021 Taliban Takeover: Pakistan’s Response and Operation Azm-e-Istehkam
Abstract
This paper aims to assess the effects of the Taliban’s capture of Afghanistan in August 2021 on the security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Pakistan. The re-emergence of the Taliban has seen a surge in terrorist activities especially by the TTP and other related groups including the IS-KP. The study reveals that the frequency and intensity of attacks have increased significantly and have led to increased loss of lives of civilians and security forces, thus escalating the insecurity in the region. To counter these threats, Pakistan initiated Operation Azm-i-Istehkam in June 2024, which is a multi-pronged approach that focuses on intelligence gathering, regional cooperation, and socio-economic factors that lead to extremism. This paper evaluates the efficiency of this operation in combating the increasing terrorism in KP, analyses the impact of the conflict at regional and international levels and stresses the importance of the integrated approach based on the military, political and socio-economic strategies for achieving sustainable security and stability in the region.
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