Suicide Attack on Shia Mosque in Pakistan Leaves 11 Dead

A suicide attack on a mosque in southwestern Pakistan resulted in the deaths of at least 11 Shia Muslims, including six children. According to a report by Agence France-Presse on Thursday, October 30, citing Pakistani state officials, the attack occurred in the Chalgari area of Balochistan, 170 kilometers from Quetta, where the attacker detonated a bomb strapped to himself, killing at least 11 people and injuring 12 others. Officials stated that the children killed in the attack were all between the ages of 10 and 12, and several of the victims were women. Sectarian violence in Pakistan has led to the deaths of thousands over the past decade, with many of these attacks targeting the Shia minority by Sunni extremists. The most horrific incidents of this violence have occurred in Balochistan, home to about 200,000 Shia Muslims. For instance, two years ago, Quetta was the scene of two suicide bombings targeting the Shia minority, resulting in the deaths of over 180 people. The suicide attack on Thursday occurred while Shia Muslims were in the midst of mourning rituals for their third Imam. Some extremist Sunnis are strongly opposed to these mourning rituals. Meanwhile, the Pakistani government has deployed around 10,000 soldiers and 6,000 paramilitary forces across the country to prevent sectarian violence during the month of Muharram.