SUMMARY

The violence against civilians committed by the Taleban militias in northwestern Pakistan started before TTP was formally established in December 2007. The different militia commanders connected to the Taleban movement started targeting civilians who they accused of being U.S spies. Seeking to reform the society along radical Islamic lines, TTP have also targeted educational institutions, particularly girl’s schools, tribal administrative infrastructure, and residents who they accuse of being involved in immoral activities. They often leave notes close to their victims warning people of collaborating with the Pakistani government or the U.S. forces in the neighboring Afghanistan. TTP, who are Sunni Muslims, have also on several occasions attacked Shia Muslims.

The tactics employed by TTP against civilians are mainly shooting and beheading attacks against residents, as well as bomb attacks on targets such as hotels, infrastructure, and anti-Taleban meetings.

The violence has been concentrated on the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and the Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP), two regions in northwestern Pakistan close to the Afghan border, where the Taleban Movement is powerful.

TTP first became active as a one-sided actor in UCDP data in 2007 when one-sided violence resulted in over 25 civilian deaths. The threshold was reached on 12 August that year when a body was found in Datta Khel town, with a note accusing him of being a U.S. spy.