112 security personnel martyred in July

Around 90 citizens, 401 terrorists eliminated as violence surges across Pakistan

ISLAMABAD:

Violence linked to terrorist attacks and counter-terrorism operations intensified sharply in July, making it the deadliest month of 2026, with 112 security personnel among 205 people killed, while 401 terrorists were eliminated.

The Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), an Islamabad-based think tank, said in its monthly security assessment that fatalities among security personnel and terrorists rose substantially during the month as terrorist violence increased and security forces intensified counter-terrorism operations.

According to the report, at least 112 security personnel lost their lives during July, the highest monthly toll since January 2023 and the second-highest recorded in more than a decade.

In January 2023, 114 security personnel were martyred, including around 102 in the suicide bombing at Peshawar Police Lines, the report recalled.

It said 401 terrorists were killed during July, the highest number recorded in a single month in more than a decade.

On the other hand, 74 civilians and 19 members of peace committees lost their lives during the month. The death toll among peace committee members was also the highest recorded in a single month during the past decade.

According to PICSS, the 232 injuries recorded during July included 101 security personnel, 103 civilians, 14 peace committee members and 14 terrorists.

Compared with June, security personnel deaths increased by 195%, rising from 38 to 112. Terrorist deaths increased by 109%, from 192 to 401, while civilian deaths rose by 21%, from 61 to 74.

The institute recorded at least eight suicide attacks during July, including five vehicle-borne suicide attacks. The think tank noted that this was the highest number of suicide attacks recorded in a single month during the past decade.

Kidnapping incidents also doubled during the month, rising by 100% from 33 in June to 66 in July.

The security situation deteriorated most significantly in Balochistan, where the overall death toll increased by 241%, from 109 in June to 372 in July.

Security personnel deaths in Balochistan increased from six in June to 62 in July, representing a rise of 933%. Terrorist deaths rose from 75 to 238, while civilian deaths increased by 93%, from 28 to 54. Eighteen members of peace committees were also killed in the province.

According to the report, mainland Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, excluding the merged districts, recorded 154 deaths in July, compared with 75 in June, representing a 105% increase. The number of people injured rose from 60 to 98.

Security personnel deaths in mainland K-P increased from 12 to 38, while terrorist deaths rose by 192%, from 37 to 108. Civilian deaths, however, declined by 73%, falling from 26 in June to seven. One member of a peace committee was also killed in the province.

The data showed a slight decline in overall deaths in the merged districts of K-P, where 79 people were killed in July compared with 85 in June.

The number of people injured in the merged districts declined by 37%, from 60 to 38. Security personnel deaths increased from six to 11, while terrorist deaths declined by 24%, from 72 to 55. Civilian deaths rose by 86%, increasing from seven to 13.

In Sindh, PICSS recorded two terrorist attacks in which one security personnel member was killed. The province had recorded 12 deaths in June. Security forces also arrested six suspected terrorists during counter-terrorism operations in Sindh.

Punjab, Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan witnessed no terrorist violence during July. However, security forces arrested three suspected terrorists during operations conducted in Punjab.

Overall, the data showed that the first seven months of 2026 witnessed 2,786 deaths linked to terrorist violence and counter-terrorism operations.

Those killed included 1,857 terrorists, 463 civilians, 434 security personnel and 32 members of peace committees. The average monthly martyrdoms among security personnel increased from 56 in 2025 to 62 in 2026, while average monthly civilian deaths rose from 48 to 66, and average monthly terrorist deaths increased from 178 to 265.