Pakistan: TTP group attacks military in Karachi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Event

At least six policemen were killed and one injured in two separate attacks claimed by Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a splinter group of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), on Sunday, May 21. Gunmen opened fire on a patrolling police car in Karachi (Sindh province) before fleeing the scene; two policemen succumbed to their injuries and one is in serious condition. Later the same day, four policemen were killed when their vehicle came under attack by armed assailants in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province’s Kohat district while on a routine patrol.

Context

Extremist Islamist groups, including the terrorist organization TTP and various terrorist groups under its umbrella, continue to pose a threat throughout the country despite continued army offensives to push them from their northwestern strongholds near the Afghan border. Pakistan suffered a number of deadly attacks earlier in the year, notably in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the Tribal Areas, Peshawar, and Lahore. Most recently, four terrorists were killed in Punjab province’s Khanewal district on May 15 during a raid on their hideout by a Counter Terrorism Department team; a further four suspected TTP members were sentenced to death by hanging by military courts on May 10.

Advice

Due to the high threat of terrorism (as well as kidnapping and sectarian violence), individuals present in Pakistan are advised to report any suspicious objects or behavior to the relevant authorities. To reduce the risk of kidnapping, individuals should avoid falling into daily routines (e.g. vary the times and routes of travel) to avoid becoming a predictable and vulnerable target. Some Western governments advise their citizens against travel to Pakistan, where foreign nationals, in particular Westerners, may be directly targeted.