The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has circulated a 20-minute video chronicling its assaults on the Pakistan Army throughout 2023 in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Displaying footage from numerous attacks alongside a comprehensive breakdown of each assault type and resulting damages, the video asserts a significant dent in the Pakistan Army’s capabilities.
Opening with a narration suggesting Pakistan’s misconception about the weakened state of the rebels, the video asserts a contrasting narrative, claiming that the TTP has effectively fractured the backbone of the Pakistan Army. This purported and contentious video highlights the heightened firing prowess of the terrorists. It showcases diverse ambushes and their consequential aftermath, deviating from previous releases largely featuring thermal sniper footage.
Region-wise attack by TTP
The video glorifies the resource-deprived Mujahidin’s strides against the self-proclaimed “number one army.” TTP’s claims outline a total of 881 attacks on Pakistan forces, specifying 266 attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa‘s Bannu district, 10 in South Punjab, and 271 in Dera Ismail Khan. Additionally, Zhob saw 5 attacks, Balochistan 70, and Makran and Kalat experienced 1 attack each. Notably, Kohat and Peshawar were targeted 29 and 184 times, while Markand, Mardan, and POGB faced 46, 24, and 1 attack(s) respectively.
Furthermore, the video delves into monthly attack statistics, with August registering the highest tally at 146 assaults. Enumerating attack types, TTP also claims responsibility for 206 sniper attacks, 143 guerrilla attacks, 129 counter attacks, and 114 ambushes.
The release of this footage signifies an intensified effort by the TTP to showcase their perceived successes and the purported weakening of Pakistan’s military stronghold. The intensity of attacks highlight that Pakistan Army is grappling with one of the biggest challenges on the western front, the repercussions of which are felt by the innocent people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as highlighted by the Pashtun activists from time-to-time. However, this precarious condition is only the result of terror instigating and harbouring policies of Pakistan Army and ISI as Pakistan which gave birth to terrorism as an instrument of destabilizing South Asia is facing the consequences of the brutal, immoral and anarchic characteristic of terrorism.