More than 30 suspected terrorists were killed when an improvised explosive device (IED) they were assembling inside a mosque in Bajaur district went off on Thursday. This incident occurred hours after at least 15 suspected terrorists were eliminated in an intelligence-based operation (IBO) in South Waziristan district, officials and sources told The Express Tribune.

Sources said that terrorists from the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were using a mosque in the remote Hilki Charmang area of Bajaur, where security forces are engaged in a counterterrorism operation. The terrorists were preparing an IED for a major attack on security forces, which accidentally detonated, bringing down the entire structure. The blast killed more than 30 terrorists on the spot, and their bodies were buried under the rubble. Sources said that the TTP terrorists – officially designated as Khawarij – used the mosque as a base for their terrorist activities in the remote region along the border with Afghanistan. Local officials confirmed the incident, saying that investigations were under way.

Elsewhere in the volatile tribal region, at least 15 suspected terrorists – including a would-be suicide bomber — were killed and several others injured during a major IBO in the Azam Warsak area of South Waziristan late Wednesday night. Security forces conducted the raid based on an intelligence tipoff about the presence of suspected terrorists near Karamzi Stop in Birmal tehsil of South Waziristan, sources told The Express Tribune. The suspects were holed up in the Karamzai Khail mosque, from where they engaged security forces in heavy exchange of fire. The suspected terrorists suffered heavy casualties in the firefight, sources further said, adding that a mop-up operation was underway in the areas. While fighting was ongoing, two mortar shells landed in a nearby locality, leaving two men, as many women, and four minor girls injured. They were rushed to the Wana Headquarters Hospital, where medics said their condition was stable.

In the neighbouring North Waziristan district, two men — a police constable and a tribal youth — were killed in separate targeted attacks, spreading panic among local population. In the first incident, gunmen opened fire on Constable Shoaib, who was deployed at Mir Ali Chowk near Mir Ali Bazaar, around noon. The assailants, who were riding a vehicle, sprayed the cop with bullets, killing him on the spot. The body of Shoaib, a resident of Girdai Dosali, was shifted to the Mir Ali Headquarters Hospital for medico-legal formalities. In the second incident, gunmen abducted a young man from Mir Ali. After two hours, his bullet-riddled body was discovered at an abandoned house near Ahmadullah Mosque. Though his identity could not be officially confirmed, sources claimed he belonged to Bajaur tribal district. No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the targeted killings. Police registered separate cases and launched investigations. The father of the martyred cop said that his son had donned the police uniform to serve the people but was targeted in broad daylight. He demanded that the government and the K-P Police Department ensure that his son's sacrifice did not go in vain and that the killers were brought to justice at the earliest. Local tribal elder Malik Abdul Rauf said that incidents of target killings had become routine, leaving tribesmen vulnerable. "The government must take strict measures to restore peace," he demanded. Social activist Arif Khan lamented that streets and bazaars had turned into killing fields, warning that if the situation persisted, local population would be compelled to migrate.

Key Indicators

This signals ongoing terrorist threats in the region, necessitating continuous security vigilance and enhanced intelligence operations.
The successful operations against terrorists reflect the security forces' capability to disrupt planned attacks, potentially impacting the morale of extremist groups.

Regional Perspective

The catastrophic failure of the terrorist IED plot in Bajaur, where the terrorists themselves were killed by their own device, highlights the operational and logistical challenges faced by terror outfits. The ongoing operations in South and North Waziristan underscore the persistent nature of violence in the tribal areas, impacting the stability of local populations and the urgent need for restoring peace.

Analysis

The failure of the terrorist IED plot in Bajaur is a direct consequence of security vigilance and precise intelligence operations. The elimination of over 30 terrorists in a single incident significantly degrades the operational capacity of extremist groups in the region. However, the targeted attacks in North Waziristan indicate that the security challenge remains, requiring a comprehensive approach that not only involves military operations but also addresses the root causes of terrorism and strengthens governance in the affected areas. The increasing attacks on security personnel and civilians put pressure on the government to ensure security and restore public confidence.