ISLAMABAD, PK – A day of religious celebration turned into a scene of horror in Pakistan this Friday. A suicide bomber detonated a powerful explosive near a mosque during a gathering to honor the birth of Islam’s Prophet Mohammad. The blast claimed the lives of at least 52 individuals and injured around 70 more. In a separate incident, another mosque was targeted, resulting in at least five fatalities.
The devastating explosion took place in the Mastung district of Baluchistan province in southwest Pakistan. This area has been grappling with a nationalist rebellion for many years and has been the target of multiple attacks by the regional ISIS faction. The suicide bomber struck as worshippers were leaving the mosque.
No group has yet taken responsibility for the attack. The Pakistani Taliban, a group of religious extremist sub-groups distinct from but closely allied with the Afghan Taliban, has denied any involvement. ISIS-Khorasan, or ISIS-K, a branch of the terror group active in Pakistan and Afghanistan, has claimed responsibility for previous deadly attacks in Baluchistan and other regions.
Baluch nationalists, who have been fighting for independence in the oil-rich province bordering Afghanistan and Iran, usually target security officials rather than civilians. The gruesome aftermath of the explosion was captured on video and shared on social media, showing the bloody victims and debris scattered across the blast site.
Dr. Saeed Mirwani, the head of the local Nawab Ghous Bakhsh Raisani Memorial Hospital, reported that the hospital was treating dozens of casualties, with over 20 seriously injured victims transferred to the provincial capital of Quetta for advanced treatment.
Following the suicide blast in Baluchistan, another explosion rocked a mosque in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, also bordering Afghanistan. This blast resulted in at least five fatalities, with 30 to 40 individuals trapped under the rubble after the mosque’s roof collapsed.
Pakistan’s President Arif Alvi condemned both attacks and called on authorities to provide all possible assistance to the wounded and the victims’ families. The government had declared Friday a national holiday in honor of Prophet Mohammad’s birthday.