Pakistani security forces conducted an intelligence-based operation in the Tasp area of Panjgur district, Balochistan, on December 26, resulting in the elimination of four Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorists. Among those killed were two commanders: high-value target (HVT) Abdul Mutalib, a former employee of the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), and Saleem, alias “Rocketi.”

The operation unfolded after intelligence reports indicated the presence of TTP militants in a hideout. During an intense exchange of fire, all four terrorists were neutralized. Weapons, ammunition, and explosives were recovered from the site, according to statements from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Pakistan’s military media wing.

Security sources described Abdul Mutalib as a key figure wanted for involvement in multiple terrorist incidents. His background as a former CTD employee highlights the challenges of insider threats and militant infiltration in sensitive institutions.

This incident underscores the TTP’s expanding footprint beyond its traditional stronghold in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), with militants increasingly operating in Balochistan. While Baloch separatist groups like the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) dominate insurgency in the province, the TTP has been establishing cells and conducting operations there, often in coordination or opportunistically alongside other threats.

TTP Attacks in 2025: A Region-Wise Overview

The year 2025 marked a significant escalation in militant violence across Pakistan, with the TTP emerging as the primary driver of attacks attributed to religiously motivated groups. Independent monitors, including the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) and the Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), reported over 1,000 terrorist attacks nationwide, the highest since 2014, alongside a surge in fatalities.

The vast majority of TTP attacks remained concentrated in northwestern regions, reflecting the group’s Pashtun-centric recruitment and operational bases along the Afghanistan border:

• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (including former tribal districts): Approximately 600–700 attacks, accounting for over 60–70% of total TTP incidents. KP bore the brunt of the insurgency, with districts like Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, North Waziristan, and Bajaur seeing frequent ambushes, IED blasts, and suicide assaults on security forces and convoys. Reports indicate around 605 attacks in KP alone by mid-year estimates.
• Balochistan: Limited but growing presence, with sporadic attacks (estimated 20–50 incidents involving TTP or affiliates). Operations like the Panjgur raid highlight TTP’s efforts to establish footholds, often targeting security personnel or infrastructure amid the dominant Baloch separatist violence.
• Punjab and Sindh: Emerging urban and southern expansion, with small-scale targeted killings and assaults (around 20–50 attacks combined, primarily police targets in districts like Mianwali, Dera Ghazi Khan, Lahore, and Karachi).

Overall, TTP-orchestrated violence contributed to thousands of casualties in 2025, including over 2,000 militant deaths in counter-operations—the deadliest year for terrorists since 2015. Sources such as PICSS, CRSS, and the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) emphasize that while KP remains the epicenter, the group’s mobility into other provinces poses broader national security risks.

Pakistani authorities continue to accuse external actors of supporting the TTP, while intensifying operations under frameworks like Azm-e-Istehkam. The Panjgur success demonstrates ongoing efforts to disrupt militant networks, even as the insurgency persists into the new year.