At Least 11 Killed in Quetta Suicide Bombing

Car Bomber Targeted Tent in Shi'ite Mosque Parking Lot

At least 11 people were killed today in a suicide bombing in the Balochistan Province capital of Quetta. Officials say a number of others were wounded in the attack and the toll could rise further.

The attack targeted a tent in the parking lot of a Shi’ite mosque, which was being used for post-Ramadan prayers by worshipers. The bomber detonated his car bomb near the tent.

So far no one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Lahkar-e Jhangvi (LeJ) has regularly attacked Shi’ite sites across the region and is considered a likely culprit.

The attack was condemned by the Hazara Democratic Party (HDP), one of the key opposition parties in the region with strong support in the Shi’ite community. They declared a 10-day mourning period over the attack.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.