ISLAMABAD: After witnessing relative calm since the launch of military operation code named ‘Zarb-e-Azb’ in June 2014, FATA witnessed an upscale of violence during the year 2017, says FATA Annual Security Report issued by FATA Research Centre, Islamabad. A total of 324 violent incidents – including 153 terrorism and 171 counter terrorism actions – were recorded during 2017, which marked a 16 percent increase in terrorism incidents, compared to the preceding year. According to the report, out of the total 153 terrorist incidents in 2017, 73 terrorist attacks (48 percent) targeted the security forces, while 71 attacks (46 percent) were directed against civilians. Seven terrorist attacks (five percent) targeted members of civil militia or Amn Lashkar. Two incidents of infighting between terrorist groups was also report during the year 2017. The violent incidents both terrorist and counter-terrorist, resulted in a total of 1207 casualties – 539 killed and 668 injured – across FATA, marking an increase of 37 percent in overall casualties. Of the total casualties, 76O (138 Killed and 437 Injured) were that of civilians, accounting for 63 percent of the overall casualties. A total of 128 casualties (63 killed and 65 injured) were inflicted upon security forces which makes 11 percent of the overall casualties. Similarly, 29 casualties (11 killed and 18 injured) of civil militia were also reported during the year 2017. The civilian casualties were particularly high in the Kurram Agency, which borders Nangarhar Province of Afghanistan on its west. A total of 575 civilian casualties – 138 deaths and 437 injuries – were recorded from Kurram Agency, which accounted for three-quarters of the overall civilian casualties. Bajaur Agency remained second in terms of civilian casualties in which 18 terrorist attacks resulted in 68 civilian casualties (16 killings and 52 injuries), making up nine percent of the overall all civilian casualties. Similarly, 39 casualties (seven killings and 32 injuries) were reported from Mohmand Agency, while South Waziristan, North Waziristan and Khyber Agencies with around 3% each follow the list. Orakzai Agency remained the most peaceful agency with least number of civilian casualties. Only 18 civilian casualties (five killings and 13 injuries) were reported from Orakzai which accounts for two percent of the overall civilian casualties. Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Islamic State of Khorasan (IS-K), Khan Said and Hakeemullah group of Mahsud Taliban, Wazir Taliban, Haqqani Network, Lask-e-Jhangvi Almi and TTP-Jamat-ul-Ahrar remained the major actors of instability during the year 2017. These terrorist groups currently based in Afghanistan by forming new alliances and re-invigorating the old ones were managed to carry out terrorist attacks against security forces, civilians and member of Amn Lashkar from January to December 2017. According to Irfanudin, a senior security analyst at FATA Research Centre, Islamabad, the recent surge in terrorist attacks in FATA illustrated the growing threat of terrorist after re-establishing their networks inside Afghanistan. Published in Daily Times, January 14th 2018.