Pakistan: Suicide bomber kills 20 in Balochistan Oct. 5

Event

A suicide bomb attack in Jhal Magsi district (Balochistan province) killed at least 20 people, and wounded 25 others on Thursday, October 5. The regional Islamic State (IS) affiliate, IS Khorasan Province, claimed responsibility shortly after the attack, which was launched on the Sufi Fateh Pur shrine and is now being considered as an incident of sectarian violence. The death toll from the attack is expected to rise; a heightened security presence is expected in the area in the coming days.

Context

Sectarian violence wrought by Salafi jihadist groups against minority Islamic denominations is not uncommon within Balochistan province, or elsewhere in Pakistan. A suspected IS attack at a Sufi shrine in Balochistan killed 52 people and wounded more than 100 others in November 2016. IS also attacked a Sufi shrine in Sindh province in February 2017, killing some 83 people. The Afghan Taliban and Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan also have a presence in the province and have carried out several attacks over the past decade.

Additionally, Balochistan has endured violence from Baloch separatists, who typically target government personnel and sites.

Advice

Individuals in the region are advised to exercise extreme caution. As a reminder, Western governments advise their citizens against nonessential travel to Pakistan due to a nationwide high threat from terrorism, kidnapping, and sectarian violence. Travel should only be considered with strict security protocols in place.