Pakistan: Army launches offensive against IS on Afghan border July 16

Event

Pakistan launched a new military operation on Sunday, July 16, in the Rajgal Valley area of the Khyber tribal region in an attempt to combat Islamic State (IS) linked militants on the border with Afghanistan. The operation, dubbed "Khyber 4," is backed by the air force, and will first clear the Rajgal Valley area before concentrating on the rest of the province. Expect an increased security presence in the region in the coming days. 

Context

Extremist Islamist groups, including Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, 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.

The Islamic State (IS) controls some territory in Afghanistan, and has been seeking to strengthen its presence in Pakistan since 2015 when it carried out its first attack in the country.

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.​