PAKISTAN: Gunmen kill 9 people in attack at a mosque in Quetta

Record ID: 353919

  • Title: PAKISTAN: Gunmen kill 9 people in attack at a mosque in Quetta
  • Date: 9th August 2013
  • Summary: QUETTA, PAKISTAN (AUGUST 9, 2013) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (REUTERS) POLICE AND PEOPLE STANDING ON THE SITE OF ATTACK/BLOOD STAINED GROUND VARIOUS OF POLICE AND PEOPLE CAR RIDDLED WITH BULLETS BULLET HOLES IN CAR A FORMER PROVINCIAL MINISTER, ALI MOHAMMAD JATTAK, WHO WAS APPARENTLY TARGET OF ATTACK, TALKING ON MOBILE PHONE (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) A FORMER PROVINCIAL MINISTER, MOHAMMAD
  • Embargoed: 24th August 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Pakistan
  • Country: Pakistan
  • Topics: Crime,General,Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVACOND3VI3PKIIGN7V8SL7XGIGI
  • Story Text: Gunmen in Pakistan fired on the vehicle of a politician driving past worshippers leaving a mosque on the Muslim holy day of Eid on Friday (August 9), killing nine people and injuring 27 in the western city of Quetta, police said.
    Quetta is the capital of western Baluchistan province, where several militant groups are active, including the Pakistani Taliban, who claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack that killed 30 people at a policeman's funeral on Thursday (August 8).
    The United States has warned citizens not to travel to Pakistan and has ordered the evacuation of non-essential staff from its consulate in the northeastern city of Lahore due to the threat of attack.
    Police official Bashir Brohi said Friday's shooting seemed to have been aimed at former provincial minister Ali Mohammad Jattack as his vehicle went by, but the motive and perpetrators were unclear.
    "They fled after killing innocent people. I was the target. They could have fired at me. They killed innocent worshippers belonging to different communities. This is against humanity. It is brutality on the level of animals," said Jattack.
    The attack is the latest instance of spiraling militant violence since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took office two months ago, with a string of high-profile attacks in the last two weeks.
    It closely follows Thursday's deadly Taliban suicide bomb attack, where 21 of the 30 dead were police, including five senior police officers.
    In Pakistan's southwestern city of Quetta family and friends mourned the victims of the suicide attack.
    Security was tight as worshippers were frisked while entering mosques for Eid prayers.
    "The terrorists have done a great wrong because they (victims) were preparing to celebrate Eid. Innocent people were killed. Whatever is happening in Quetta and the entire country is very unjust. I request the government keep the bloodshed under control," said local resident Mohammad Irfan.
    Sharif's government has not yet presented a security strategy, despite campaign promises to negotiate with militant groups.
    The United States shut nearly two dozen missions across the Middle East after a worldwide alert on Aug. 2, warning Americans that al Qaeda may be planning attacks in August, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa.
    It was unclear when the Lahore consulate would open, a U.S. embassy spokeswoman said.
    Tensions have also risen this week with Pakistan's neighbour, India, after five of its soldiers were killed near the border running through disputed Kashmir.
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