Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s Violent Surge: Mergers, Attacks, and the Future of Militancy in Pakistan in 2025

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the leading jihadist group targeting the Pakistani state, has escalated its violent operations in 2024 and early 2025. The group's resurgence has been facilitated by its sanctuaries in Afghanistan, support from local militant factions, access to sophisticated arms and ammunition and last but not least, ideological and spiritual backing from the Afghan Taliban emirate. This article attempts to provide a detailed account of TTP’s violent activities, including attacks on security forces, kidnappings, and clashes with the state, using documented incidents in January 2025.

In July 2024, the Government of Pakistan declared the group "Fitna al-Khawarij" to counter TTP's influence and activities. This designation, of course, aligns with Islamic teachings, categorizing TTP as a corrupt entity that distorts the image of Islam. The government directive mandates that all official references to TTP members, including "Khawriji," be made to expose their true identity and intentions. This step was part of a broader effort by Pakistan to diminish the ideological appeal of TTP and delegitimize its claims to religious authority. In November 2024, Pakistani military operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan killed nearly 200 militants, including 24 commanders from TTP, Lashkar-e-Islam, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group, Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), and Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF). The crackdown follows a surge in militant attacks, delivering a major setback to these banned organizations amid intensified counterterrorism efforts.

For complete article, See, Militant Monitor, February 03, 2024.