KARACHI: Civilian casualties from militant attacks in Pakistan increased by 80% in November, a new security report said on Monday, amid a surge in militancy in the South Asian country.
The development comes amid a resurgence of militant activity across Pakistan’s northwestern and southwestern regions that border Afghanistan and where security forces have been battling an array of militant groups, particularly the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
Islamabad has accused Kabul of allowing its soil and India of backing these militant groups in carrying out cross-border attacks against Pakistan. Kabul and New Delhi have consistently denied the allegation. The surge in attacks also sparked fierce border clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Oct.
The South Asian country saw a slight rise in militant attacks in Nov., which was marked by an 80% jump in civilian fatalities and a sharp 65% reduction in losses incurred by security forces, according to Islamabad-based think-thank Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS).
“November witnessed ‘more measured actions’ by security forces, reflected in a steep decline in their own losses from 72 fatalities in October to 25 in November — a reduction of about 65 percent,” it said.
“Civilian deaths, however, surged by 80 percent, rising to 54 in November compared with 30 in October.”
A total of 292 people were killed and 164 injured in anti-state violence and security forces’ counter-militancy measures nationwide during November, according to PICSS data.
Militants accounted for the overwhelming majority of those killed at 206, or about 71 percent of all fatalities. The remaining deaths included 54 civilians, 25 security forces personnel and seven members of pro-government “peace committees.” The injured comprised 83 security forces personnel, 67 civilians, 10 militants and four peace committee members.
“The country experienced 97 militant attacks in November, up from 89 in October, representing an increase of around 9 percent,” the report said, adding that the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the site of most counter-militancy operations.
Of the 206 militant deaths, 137 were recorded in mainland KP and 58 in its tribal districts, while the remaining militant fatalities were reported from other parts of the country.
The month also recorded a notable spike in suicide attacks. PICSS documented four suicide attacks in November, compared with just one in October. The suicide bombings took place in Islamabad, KP and Balochistan.
“These suicide attacks left 31 people dead, including 15 militants, 12 civilians and four security forces personnel,” the think-tank said, adding that the attacks injured 64 people, 41 civilians and 23 security forces personnel.
PICSS said the number of suicide bombings had increased in Nov. on a year-on-year basis. Twenty-four suicide attacks were recorded in the first 11 months of 2025, compared with 17 such attacks in the whole of 2024, indicating a clear upward trend in this particularly lethal tactic.
“Overall, the first 11 months of 2025 have been exceptionally bloody,” PICSS said, citing a total of 3,144 conflict-related deaths so far in 2025.
“These include 1,940 militants, 626 security forces personnel, 563 civilians and 15 members of pro-government peace committees,” it said.
The think-tank described 2025 as the deadliest year for militants since 2015 and the deadliest for security forces personnel since 2014, underscoring the intensity of the ongoing confrontation between the state and militant outfits.
