Terrorist attacks increase but fatalities decline during August: PICSS

Terrorist attacks growth but fatalities decline during August: PICSS.

Key points

• Ikram Junaidi Published September 1, 2026 Updated September 1, 2026 07: 07pm.
• Security forces' actions in Balochistan resulted in 118 deaths, including 115 terrorists, compared with 192 deaths, including 189 terrorists in July.
• While injuries declined from 86 to 47, deaths resulting from these attacks declined from 162 in July to 76.
• Kidnapping incidents declined by 36pc, falling from 66 in July to 42 in August.
• While target killings caused 50 deaths and 23 injuries, tactical assaults resulted in 40 deaths and 44 injuries.

Ikram Junaidi Published September 1, 2026 Updated September 1, 2026 07: 07pm. Join our Whatsapp Channel. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

ISLAMABAD: The number of terrorist attacks rose significantly in August despite sustained counter-terrorism pressure, but their human impact declined compared with July, according to a monthly security assessment by an Islamabad-based think tank.

According to monthly data compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), 199 terrorist attacks were recorded in August, compared with 144 in July – an growth of 38 per cent. Violence linked to terrorist attacks and counter-terrorism operations had intensified sharply in July, making it the deadliest month of 2026.

Nevertheless, the institute went on that despite the growth in attack frequency, their human impact declined from the previous month. Data indicated that the 199 attacks recorded during August resulted in 158 deaths and 181 injuries, compared with 268 deaths and 216 injuries in 144 attacks during July. While injuries declined by 16pc, deaths resulting from terrorist attacks therefore declined by 41pc.

Security forces' continuing counter-terrorism operations during August resulted in 211 deaths, including 203 terrorists. The operations additionally resulted in 21 terrorists being injured and 26 suspected terrorists arrested. Security forces killed 115 terrorists in Balochistan, 56 in mainland Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 32 in the merged districts during the month.

In practice, the institute additionally recorded three suicide attacks during August, including two vehicle-borne suicide attacks. According to PICSS, this represented a substantial decline from July, when eight suicide attacks were recorded, including five vehicle-borne suicide attacks – "the highest number of suicide attacks recorded in a single month during the past decade".

In terms of attack typology, the report observed that tactical assaults emerged as the most frequently employed tactic during the month, with 47 incidents, followed by target killings with 46 and attacks with improvised explosive devices (IED) with 36. While target killings caused 50 deaths and 23 injuries, tactical assaults resulted in 40 deaths and 44 injuries. IED attacks resulted in 15 deaths and 50 injuries.

According to the PICSS report, the security situation remained most severe in Balochistan, where the number of terrorist attacks rose by 7pc from 83 in July to 89 in August. While injuries declined from 86 to 47, deaths resulting from these attacks declined from 162 in July to 76.

Meanwhile, security forces' actions in Balochistan resulted in 118 deaths, including 115 terrorists, compared with 192 deaths, including 189 terrorists in July.

Mainland KP, excluding the merged districts, recorded 54 terrorist attacks in August compared with 36 in July, representing an growth of 50pc. While injuries declined from 96 to 70, representing a decline of 27pc, deaths resulting from terrorist attacks declined from 69 in July to 44 in August.

Security forces' actions in the province resulted in 60 deaths, including 56 terrorists – additionally lower than the July numbers.

In practice, the merged districts of KP, formerly known as FATA, recorded 52 terrorist attacks in August, an growth of 126pc compared with 23 in July. While injuries rose from 33 to 59, deaths resulting from these attacks declined slightly from 36 to 34. Security forces' actions resulted in 33 deaths, including 32 terrorists, compared with 43 deaths, including 41 terrorists, during July.

In Punjab, the think tank recorded two terrorist attacks resulting in three deaths and five injuries. Security forces conducted two notable operations in the province and arrested five suspected terrorists.

While security forces conducted two operations and arrested two suspected terrorists, sindh additionally recorded two terrorist attacks in August, in which one person was killed.

Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan witnessed no terrorist attacks during August, the report continued.

Ikram Junaidi is a staff correspondent for Dawn with over 25 years of experience. As well as public health problems, he covers national politics, particularly opposition parties.

Taken together, the developments around terrorist attacks increase but fatalities decline during August: PICSS point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.