An Afghan branch of the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in Pakistan that killed at least 54 people at a pro-Taliban party’s election rally. The attack took place in the northwestern town of Bajur and is considered one of the region’s worst attacks in recent years.
The Islamic State in Khorasan Province made the claim in a statement posted on its Amaq website, stating that the attacker detonated an explosive vest as part of the group’s ongoing war against forms of democracy it deems to be against Islam. The bombing targeted the Jamiat Ulema Islam party, which has ties to the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban.
The attack highlights the divisions between Islamist groups in the region, with the Jamiat Ulema Islam party remaining a potent political force despite the Pakistani military’s efforts to clear the district of militants in 2016. The party is preparing to contest elections expected to take place in October or November.
Following the attack, hundreds of mourners in Bajur carried caskets draped in colorful cloths to burial sites, while female relatives and children wailed and beat their chests at family homes. The death toll continues to rise as critically wounded people succumb to their injuries in hospitals.
The Pakistani Taliban distanced themselves from the bombing, stating that it was intended to set Islamists against each other. The Afghan Taliban also condemned the attack, emphasizing that such crimes cannot be justified in any way.
The bombing occurred just hours before Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng arrived in Islamabad to sign new agreements to boost trade and economic ties between China and Pakistan. The Chinese government has invested $10 billion in Pakistan over the past decade as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assured China that no obstacles would be tolerated in the way of their friendship.
This bombing is one of the worst in northwestern Pakistan in the last decade, with previous attacks targeting schools and mosques. The Pakistani government has vowed to punish those responsible for the attack and has received condolences from various countries, including the United States and Russia.
The investigation into the bombing is ongoing, with initial suspicions pointing towards the Islamic State in Khorasan Province. However, breakaway factions of the Pakistani Taliban are also being considered as possible suspects.
How has the presence of the Islamic State group in Afghanistan and Pakistan impacted the region’s security and stability?
Rewritten:
A militant faction of the Islamic State group operating in Afghanistan has taken responsibility for a suicide bombing in Pakistan that resulted in the deaths of at least 54 people during a pro-Taliban party’s election rally. This attack, which occurred in the town of Bajur in the country’s northwest, is regarded as one of the most severe incidents in the region in recent times.
The Islamic State’s branch in Khorasan Province issued a statement on its Amaq website, claiming that the assailant detonated an explosive vest as part of the group’s ongoing mission to combat any form of democracy that it perceives as contradicting Islamic principles. The specific target of the bombing was the Jamiat Ulema Islam party, which maintains connections with both Afghan and Pakistani factions.
The terror knows no borders. This latest attack by the Afghan branch of ISIS in Pakistan highlights the urgent need for international cooperation in combating terrorism and ensuring the safety of innocent lives.