A look at major attacks in Pakistan claimed by IS militants

By The Associated Press

ISLAMABAD – Counterterrorism officials in Pakistan say the fight against the Islamic State group is the country’s newest and deadliest front in the decades-old war on terror.

Headquartered next door in Afghanistan, the IS affiliate has claimed responsibility for some of the deadliest attacks in Pakistan in recent years.

The group has recruited radical young men to their cause and some have even brought their families to live with them in militant hideouts, hoping to recreate an IS “caliphate” such as the one that lasted for almost four years in Syria.

Here are some of the deadliest attacks claimed by IS and groups linked to them:

__Jan. 30, 2015: Suicide bombing at a Shiite mosque in the town of Shikarpur kills 71; IS-linked Jundullah group claims responsibility;

__May 13, 2015: Gunmen kill 45 in attack on a bus carrying members of Ismaili community in the suburbs of Karachi;

__Aug. 8, 2016: Suicide bomber kills 74 in a hospital in the city of Quetta where lawyers had gathered to pay respects to slain colleague and bar association president;

__Oct. 24, 2016: Suicide attackers kill 61 in assault on Quetta police academy;

__Nov. 12, 2016: Suicide bomber from Islamic State group kills over 50 at the shrine of Shah Noorani, in Baluchistan province’s Khuzdar district;

__Feb. 16, 2017: Suicide bomber detonates his explosives vest among the devotees at the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in the Sehwan district of southern Sindh province, killing 98;

__May 12, 2017: Suicide attack on the country’s Senate deputy chairman, Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, in his native Mastung district of Baluchistan kills 25 people; the official is slightly wounded;

__Aug. 12, 2107: Suicide attack kills 15, including 8 soldiers, in Quetta;

__Dec. 17, 2017: Attack on a church in Quetta kills 16 people; IS claims responsibility;

__July 3, 2018: Gunmen kill six members of the country’s paramilitary force and two policemen in Mashki district of southwestern Baluchistan;

__July 13, 2018: Suicide bombing at the election rally in Mastung kills 149 people, including election candidate Siraj Raisani;

__July 25, 2018: Suicide bombing outside a polling station in Quetta kills 31.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today