The United States has renewed its public offer of up to US$5 million for information leading to the whereabouts of Khadra Essa, a Somali-born Dutch citizen accused of holding a senior role within the Islamic State’s female military structures in Syria. Essa, who allegedly operated under the name Umm Qaqa al-Somali, was again the subject of
Pakistan witnessed a sharp escalation in terrorist violence during September 2026, with the country recording its highest monthly number of terrorist attacks in 12 years, while kidnappings linked to terrorist incidents reached their highest monthly level in a decade, according to data compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS). The latest figures present a
Pakistan’s security forces conducted coordinated clearance operations across various areas of North Waziristan as part of ongoing efforts to counter the threat posed by Khawarij and maintain peace and security in the region. The operations were undertaken through an integrated operational approach, combining ground forces with armed Quick Reaction/Combat teams (QCs). The coordinated employment of these
A new review examining Pakistan’s counterterrorism policy has documented multiple financial and policy decisions associated with the PTI governments, including public funding for Darul Uloom Haqqania and the reported release of up to 100 TTP prisoners during the 2021 peace process. The report identifies Rs300 million allocated to Darul Uloom Haqqania in June 2016, with
Report Details Rs655m in PTI-Era Haqqania Funding Decisions Read More »
A new policy review has documented 16 instances between 2009 and 2023 in which former prime minister Imran Khan advocated, facilitated or defended negotiations, reconciliation or rehabilitation involving the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), placing the recent security crisis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa against a much longer record of engagement with the group. Titled The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
From Talks to Rehabilitation: Report Maps PTI’s TTP Policy Read More »
Terrorist attacks recorded in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa increased from 111 in 2021 to 413 in 2025, a rise of 272.1 percent, according to a new policy review based on annual data from the Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS). The review says the 2025 figure was 3.72 times the number recorded in 2021, with the number
Terrorist Attacks in KP Nearly Quadrupled From 2021 to 2025: Report Read More »
The security situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remains deeply concerning. Intelligence-based operations are continuing, weapons and ammunition are being recovered, and security forces are conducting operations against terrorists. At the same time, terrorist attacks continue to take place in different parts of the province. In the last week of September, terrorist incidents were reported in Kohat,
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Security Crisis and the Growing Pressure on the Afghan Taliban Read More »
Pakistan’s military on Thursday brought the leadership of terrorist organizations operating from Afghanistan into focus, naming prominent figures including internationally recognized terrorist Bashir Zeb and Gul Bahadur while questioning the whereabouts of banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud. The issue was raised during a briefing by Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG
Kandahar Was Not Just a Meeting, The Terrorist Names Matter Read More »
Pakistan’s army has sharply challenged India’s credibility over its terrorism-related claims, describing the country as having increasingly become “Fakistan” and “Encounteristan” amid what it termed a pattern of fabricated narratives and alleged fake encounters. The remarks came during a press briefing following India’s claim that a former Pakistani SSG soldier had been killed as a
‘Fakistan, Encounteristan’: Pakistan Mocks India’s Latest Terror Narrative Read More »
Pakistan’s army has questioned the purpose behind India’s claim that a former Pakistani soldier was killed as a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist in an alleged operation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, after the man appeared publicly alive and rejected the narrative. During a press briefing, the Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations said the episode
What Was India Trying to Hide With Its Latest Terror Claim? Read More »
