Islamabad [Pakistan], February 6 : At least 31 people have died with 169 injured after a suicide bombing at an Imambargah in Islamabad during Friday prayers, according to a report by Dawn citing the authorities.
According to Dawn, the explosion occurred at the Imambargah Khadijah-tul-Kubra in the Tarlai area. It further noted that the Minister of State for Interior, Tallal Chaudhry, told the media in Islamabad that while the attacker was not an Afghan, authorities had been able to determine through forensic tests the number of times he had travelled to Afghanistan.
This comes after the Baloch Liberation Army claimed victory in Operation Herof II.
In a statement, BLA said, "Operation Herof II, carried out by the Baloch Liberation Army, was a six-day campaign of coordinated urban combat that stands as the most extensive, intense, and organized military engagement in the modern history of the Baloch national resistance. The operation commenced at 5:00 AM on January 31 and concluded at 4:00 PM on February 6, having successfully achieved its strategic objectives. Fourteen cities across Balochistan were targeted. Baloch fighters launched simultaneous attacks and established effective control over numerous enemy posts, military installations, and urban sectors. In several cities, BLA units maintained uninterrupted dominance over occupying forces for six consecutive days, causing significant political, psychological, and military damage to the enemy."
The statement noted that 93 BLA fighters were killed during the operation. "These included 50 fidaeen from the Majeed Brigade, 26 fighters from the Fateh Squad, and 17 from the Special Tactical Operations Squad (STOS). All major BLA units participated in the operation, including Majeed Brigade, STOS, Fateh Squad, ZIRAB (intelligence wing), and Hakkal (media wing). Over 362 enemy personnel were killed, including members of the Pakistani Army, Frontier Corps, police, and state-sponsored death squads. Seventeen enemy soldiers were captured. Ten, identified as Baloch, were released with warnings, while seven remain in BLA custody and will face trial for war crimes and acts of genocide. Dozens of military facilities were destroyed, weapons stockpiles were seized, and the unified, disciplined resistance delivered a substantial blow to the military superiority of the occupying state."
The statement said that all tactical and strategic goals of Herof II had been accomplished.
"The operation pursued three primary objectives: to demonstrate the capability of Baloch fighters to strike and control urban centers at will, to reaffirm to the Baloch nation that this resistance is rooted in collective strength and organizational discipline, and to dismantle the illusion of unchecked authority that the occupying forces have attempted to project across Balochistan."
"Efforts by the Pakistani state to equate our struggle with terrorism or religious extremism are part of a calculated strategy to distort the truth of a political movement. The Baloch armed resistance is not driven by racist ideology or foreign funding. It is led by educated students, professors, lawyers, doctors, engineers, and intellectuals. Men and women from all walks of Baloch society are part of it. The foundation of this movement is a vision for an independent Baloch homeland where freedom, education, healthcare, dignity, and control over resources are guaranteed rights for every citizen, not privileges for a select few", the statement added.
The statement by spokesperson Jeeyand Baloch urged international human rights organisations to acknowledge the scale of atrocities being committed by occupying forces in Balochistan.