Description: Pakistani security forces have conducted numerous raids in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, killing more than 33 militants and insurgents in several cities. The raids were mainly focused in the cities of Kurram, Mohmand, Lakki Marwat and Tank. Interior Minister, Mohsin Naqvi also announced that a car bomb exploded in the Dera Ismail Khan district where two police officials were killed and dozens of civilians were injured. Pakistani military and security forces have substantially increased anti – militant and anti – insurgent operations since the Islamabad suicide attack earlier this month as a response to the growing threats from terrorist organizations such as the Pakistani Taliban, Lashkar e Taiba and other separatist groups operating from Afghanistan. The bombing attack in Islamabad and the subsequent raids in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa further strained the bilateral relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan which are engaged in a de facto ceasefire mediated by Qatar and Turkey. Border crossings on the Durand line have remained closed due to the volatile security conditions and aggressive political and diplomatic stances undertaken by both Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Impact: The south Asia region continues to transform towards being in a constant state of instability with terrorist and militant groups inciting direct confrontation between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The groups are exploiting the deteriorated relations and the aggressive political and diplomatic narrative originating from both Kabul and Islamabad to expand activities and operations and consolidate control across the Duran line, which has become a major security flashpoint in the last couple of months. Pakistan is expected to further increase anti – militant and anti – insurgent operations in the upcoming period strengthening border capacities and intelligence operations in order to prevent future attacks such as the one in Islamabad. Afghanistan balances between maintaining ties with the militant groups and establishing control over its territory, especially the border with Pakistan, while also lacking the capacity to act with more concrete measures in countering the groups which are drawing both countries towards renewed conventional war. Peace talks have stalled, and no significant progress or commitments have been made by either side, which signals that the Durand line would become the centerpiece of a proxy war in absence of large – scale cooperation between the countries to counter the threats originating from the groups.