Editor's note:

The American Special Forces shot dead al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden on May 2 in Abbottabad, near the Pakistani capital, Islamabad. The operation was an iconic success in the war on terror, but it also put the Pakistan government under enormous domestic and international pressure. All Pakistan's anti-terrorism efforts over the past years were erased at a stroke. And revenge attacks by the terrorists cannot be rule out, making the security situation worse.

Terrorism in Pakistan

 

 

 

Terrorism in Pakistan has become a major and highly destructive phenomenon in recent years. Wikipedia says from the summer of 2007 until late 2009, more than 5,500 people were killed in suicide and other attacks on civilians for reasons attributed to a number of causes, such as the?sectarian violence between Sunni and Shia Muslims, easy availability of guns and explosives, the existence of a "Kalishnikov culture" and?the presence of Islamist insurgent groups and forces like?the Taliban and Lashkar-e-Taiba.

 

 

Latest photos

 

 

Security tightened in NW Pakistan	Pakistan CID arrests activist	Pakistan on high alert after Taliban attack	4 killed in shootout in Mastung, Pakistan?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Latest videos

 

 

Pakistan suicide truck bomb kills 32	9 killed in suspected Taliban attack	Twin blasts kill at least 80	At least 27 killed in Pakistan blast?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Major terrorist attacks before bin Laden's death (since 2001)

 

 

Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in a shooting on Dec 27, 2007.

In?2011:

January 12: At least 17 people were killed and more than 20 others injured, after a suicide car-bomber rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into a heavily fortified police station in the Bannu district, of north-western Pakistan. >>

In 2010:

January 1: At least 105 people were killed when a suicide bomber blew up his vehicle in a crowd watching a volleyball game in Lakki Marwat, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. >>

In 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001

 

Major terrorist attacks after bin Laden's death

 

 

May 13: Two suicide bombers attacked a paramilitary academy training young cadets in Charsadda, more than 80 people were killed and at least 15 injured, the attack was called by the Taliban as revenge for the killing of Osama bin Laden.

 

June 26: A small blast occurred in Multan in the premises of a police station, injuring ten people, four of which were police officers. About 10 kg of explosives were used to cause the explosion. The police arrested a suspect immediately following the incident.?>>