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“Ali,” the IMU suicide bomber who attacked a Pakistani police general in Quetta. Image from the SITE Intelligence Group. |
The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan claimed credit for yesterday’s suicide attack in Quetta that targeted the chief of police in the southern Pakistani city.
The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan took credit for the attack, in a statement that was released on a jihadist forum earlier today by Yahya Hikmatiy, the group’s “formal spokesman.” Hikmatiy confirmed that the target of the attack was Inspector General Mushtaq Ahmed Sukhera. The statement was obtained and translated by the SITE Intelligence Group.
Eight Pakistanis were killed and nearly 100 more were wounded in yesterday’s attack, which occurred in a high-security area in Quetta, the provincial capital of the southwestern province Baluchistan. The IMU suicide bomber targeted Sukhera’s convoy as he was entering his quarters. The blast was so massive that power in the city was knocked out, and many nearby buildings were badly damaged. The IMU claimed that “2 tons” of explosives were used in the bomb.
The suicide attack in Quetta was “carried out as the answer to the helicopter attack of Pakistan Army against IMU’s madrasa for young children, named after Abdullah ibn Zubair, 25 days ago,” the IMU spokesman claimed. One IMU student, a 12-year-old boy, was killed and 10 people were wounded.
Hikmatiy said the attack was carried out by “Ali,” who was described as “a member of IMU” and a “52 year-old mujahid brother.” Hikmatiy added that Ali’s daughter also carried out a suicide attack last year.
“In addition, we would like to remind you the istishhadiyyah [martyrdom-seeking] operation of shahida Ummu Usman, daughter of shahid brother Ali, against the murtad (apostate) Pakistan Government last year,” Hikmatiy said.
Although Hikmatiy did not identify the suicide attack that Ali’s daughter executed, there was only one such bombing reported to have been carried out by a female last year. The attack took place in Mohmand in November 2012, and targeted Qazi Hussain Ahmed, the former emir of the Jamaat-e-Islami. Ahmed is known to support the Taliban. No group claimed credit for the Mohmand suicide attack.
The al Qaeda-linked Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan is based in Pakistan’s tribal areas, and has a strong presence in North Waziristan. In Afghanistan, the IMU has integrated its operations with the Taliban in the northern provinces, and is also known to operate in eastern Afghanistan.
4 Comments
Pakistan’s response should be both quite telling & interesting. I wonder if there will be any ‘overtures’ to the US on this matter? Nawaz Sharif’s ‘comments’ & ‘actions’ on this incident will be ‘noteworthy.’
A family of ‘nihilists.’ Now that’s interesting. Targeting a “former emir of the Jamaat-e-Islami” is a welcome piece of the puzzle that accompanies the Byzantine ‘nature’ of “Political Islam.” Must be a left over relic from the ‘days’ when ConFuzUs was doinkin around with Buddha. By the way does the ‘word’ buddy come from Buddha?
I wonder why his daughter did a suicide attack against the Jammat-e-Islami former leader. Did they find evidence of him collaborating with the CIA ? or was it for ideological reasons, because an islamic party took part in elections, which the IMU consider blasphemy ?
The ISI writes in more ‘plot jumps’ than any pulp fiction.
I need a players bill for this latest twist.
This is the s a m e IMU crowd that is being pressured by the ISAF up north?
It’d make more sense if they were retaliating over drug money — always something worth blood.
As the top police official in the area — one would cynically assume that he was the drug trade’s ‘taxman.’ And, that’d be no shame in those parts…
Look at the Karzai clan… There is no shame for them at all. Between the stash, the cash, and the utterances — he’s doing his best to trump the fictive “Scarface.”
Rationale B would be that the IMU crew is fulsomely upset that the ISI — and their local agent — can’t provide a ‘roof’ against the ISAF — which is administering quite a spanking — straight to the wallet of the IMU.
This is the season to move out the fresh opium/ heroin. If the IMU and ISI operate like the Sicilian Mafia — then the money is due come what may.
Two tons, ey ? I guess they are not tight on explosives. Does this stuff grow on tress over there ?