- AOAV reports 67,026 global casualties from explosive weapons in 2024.
- Civilians account for 89% of casualties, with 24,147 deaths worldwide.
- Pakistan records 790 civilian casualties, with incidents rising 14% to 248.
Pakistan has ranked seventh in the world for civilian casualties from explosive weapons in 2024, according to a new report by British explosive violence monitor, Action on Armed Violence (AOAV), which recorded the highest global toll of such violence since 2010.
The AOAV documented 67,026 deaths and injuries from explosive weapons globally last year. Of these, 59,524 were civilians — accounting for 89% of the total. Civilian fatalities alone stood at 24,147.
The report described 2024 as “the most injurious year for civilians” since the Explosive Violence Monitoring Project began. Compared to 2023, global incidents increased by 29%, civilian casualties by 69%, and civilian deaths by 50%.
In Pakistan, AOAV recorded 790 civilian casualties, including 210 killed, across 248 incidents — a 14% rise in incidents from 218 the previous year. Civilian casualties fell by 9% from 870 in 2023, while fatalities dropped by 16% from 249. Armed actor casualties totalled 686, down 24% from 899.
The AOAV noted that “2024 saw the highest number of recorded incidents in Pakistan since 2014”, and the second highest number of civilian casualties since 2018.
Non-state actors were responsible for 76% (603) of Pakistan’s civilian casualties. Among them, unknown non-state actors accounted for 54% (423), a decline from 541 in 2023. The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) was linked to 119 civilian casualties — up 440% from 22 the year prior — and made up 15% of the total.
Meanwhile, Daesh Khorasan was responsible for 45 casualties, down from 194. Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) caused 10, down from 32.
IEDs and suicide bombings
Pakistan recorded the second highest civilian toll globally from IED attacks, with 485 casualties (139 killed) across 132 incidents. This marked a 30% decrease in civilian casualties, but an 8% rise in the number of IED-related incidents.
Suicide bombings accounted for 103 civilian casualties (21 killed) across 9 incidents, a 67% decline from 27 incidents in 2023 — the lowest number since 2021. All suicide attacks were carried out by non-state actors. The BLA was responsible for 2 of the 9 suicide bombings, but accounted for 89% (92) of resulting civilian harm. On average, suicide attacks in Pakistan harmed 11.4 civilians per attack and killed 2.3.
The AOAV also noted a sharp rise in casualties from ground-launched weapons, which caused 217 civilian casualties — 27% of the total — representing a 54% increase from 2023.
Pakistan continues to experience high levels of explosive violence compared to recent years. The latest incident came last week when a powerful explosion by India-backed militants targeted a school bus near Zero Point in Balochistan’s Khuzdar. At least six, including four students were martyred and dozens of others injured.
The south-western province along with the neighbouring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remain the most-affected by terrorism.
Pakistan has pledged a “decisive” response to the attack by Fitna al-Hindustan and warned that the perpetrators would not succeed in their objectives.
