Pakistani intelligence expect increase in terrorist activity in the country in March

Pakistani intelligence agencies predict an increase in the number of terrorist attacks in the country starting from March. This was reported to TASS by a source in the Inter-Services Intelligence of Pakistan (ISI) with reference to the negotiations between representatives of the leadership of Pakistan and Afghanistan in Kabul.

According to the source, the ISI has information about a “spring offensive” being prepared in early March by the militants of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan radical group to be carried out in Pakistan.

Also, according to the source, the issue was raised by Pakistani delegates that included ISI Director-General Lieutenant General Nadeem Anjum during consultations with representatives of the Afghan interim government established by the Taliban in Kabul. He noted that Islamabad demanded that the Afghan Taliban “influence the leadership of the TTP to prevent the start of the “spring offensive”, as well as take appropriate measures to prevent radical groups from using the territory of Afghanistan to arrange attacks on neighboring countries. The source mentioned that the Pakistani delegates provided the Afghan side with evidence that the TTP leaders were in Afghanistan and informed about their intention to conduct special operations, including on Afghanistan territory, to eliminate the threat posed by the Pakistani Taliban.

A Pakistani delegation led by Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif held security consultations with representatives of the interim government formed by the Taliban on Wednesday in Kabul.

Militants of the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan based in the neighboring Afghanistan pose a significant threat to the security of Pakistan. The situation in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, bordering Afghanistan, escalated sharply after the end of October 2022 when the TTP announced the termination of the truce with the government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan that had been in force since June 2022. The number of TTP militants in the region ranges from 7,000 to 10,000 people.