WASHINGTON: The United States has strongly condemned the recent wave of terrorist attacks in Pakistan, as stated by US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller during a press briefing in Washington.
Miller voiced the US’s concern over the ongoing terrorist activities, including the abduction of police officers, underscoring the significant impact of these incidents on the Pakistani people.
Miller specifically pointed to the recent bombing on November 9th in Quetta, which resulted in considerable casualties. He expressed the US’s solidarity with the families affected by such acts of violence and reiterated the commitment of the United States to support Pakistan in its fight against terrorism.
Responding to questions about the Taliban’s involvement, Miller reminded attendees of the Taliban’s previous pledges not to allow Afghan soil to be used by terrorists. He emphasized that the United States remains steadfast in its counterterrorism partnership with Pakistan, highlighting ongoing discussions aimed at enhancing both civilian and military capabilities to combat terrorism more effectively.
The briefing also addressed the issue of the murder of a Sikh American citizen, seen as possibly linked to an Indian conspiracy. Miller assured that the US government is engaging seriously with India to address the security concerns of Sikh citizens.
Following this statement, the US’s condemnation comes in the wake of a suicide bombing earlier in the day in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), marking another grave incident in a series of terrorist attacks across the country.
According to a statement from Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), at least twelve security personnel were martyred in a suicide attack on a check post in Bannu, KP.
ISPR detailed that the attack, carried out by the Khwarij, targeted a joint check post in the Bannu district on November 19, 2024, resulting in the martyrdom of 12 Pakistani soldiers, including 10 from the security forces and two from the Frontier Constabulary. The attackers attempted to breach the post in the general area of MaliKhel and during the exchange of fire, six attackers were killed.
The terrorists employed an explosive-laden vehicle to ram into the perimeter wall, triggering a suicide blast. The explosion caused a significant portion of the wall to collapse, damaging nearby infrastructure and leading to tragic fatalities among the soldiers, with several others injured.
In a separate incident on November 9, a bomb blast at a railway station in Quetta killed at least 24 people and injured more than 40 others. The Quetta Commissioner, Hamza Shafqat, reported that 16 soldiers were among the dead.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which seeks independence for Balochistan, claimed responsibility for the attack. The BLA is one of several ethnic insurgent groups fighting against the government, criticizing its management of the province’s rich gas and mineral resources.
Previously, in August, separatist militants launched widespread attacks in Balochistan, targeting police stations, railway lines, and highways, resulting in at least 73 deaths.
These attacks are part of a longstanding insurgency aimed at achieving independence for Balochistan, which is significant for its strategic projects including a port and a gold and copper mine led by China.
