Description: The Pakistani military, conducting an intelligence raid in the Orakzai district was ambushed by members of the Pakistani Taliban, which led to a prolonged armed confrontation leaving 11 Pakistani soldiers and 19 militants dead. The attack is only the latest in a large line of deadly militant attacks in recent months conducted by separatist and militant groups such as the Pakistani Taliban or the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). Pakistan has accused Afghanistan and India for sponsoring, financing and training the militants, accusations both countries deny. The attack arrives after the deadly protests in the Pakistani administered Kashmir and adds to the general instability and porous state of Pakistan’s border regions with India and Afghanistan.
Impact: The Pakistani military and security forces are engaged in an open armed conflict with several insurgencies across the country which in turn strains the country’s response capacities and escalates domestic tensions on top of causing widespread instability. Between Afghanistan and India, the insurgent groups operating in Pakistan are gridlocking the country in a perpetual state of instability and disabling the country’s economic prospects. The newly secured strategic partnership with the US would influence the regional power dynamics, as India has pivoted towards China, while Pakistan is expected to expand its partnership with the US beyond the security sector. Separatist and insurgent groups would continue to destabilize the country emphasizing severe weaknesses within Pakistan’s security and military apparatus.