Daesh claims responsibility for suicide bombing at Sayyida Khadija al-Kubra Hussainiya in Islamabad

Daesh claims responsibility for suicide bombing at Sayyida Khadija al-Kubra Hussainiya in Islamabad
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The extremist Sunni group ISIS/Daesh has claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that targeted the Sayyida Khadija al-Kubra Hussainiya in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, martyring at least 31 people and wounding around 170 others in the deadliest attack the city has seen in more than a decade, according to Pakistani officials and the SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors militant statements.

SITE reported that the group said the attacker detonated an explosive vest at the inner gate of the Shiite place of worship, causing heavy casualties. The group also released an image it claimed showed the attacker carrying a weapon with his face covered, though the image could not be independently verified.

Local officials said the attacker opened fire inside the Hussainiya during Friday prayers before detonating the explosives after security guards attempted to stop him from advancing further into the complex on the outskirts of the capital. Survivors reported hearing gunfire followed shortly by a powerful explosion.

Defense Minister Khawaja Asif said the bomber detonated himself in the last row of worshippers and alleged the attacker had a history of travel to Afghanistan, accusing India of involvement without providing evidence. India’s Foreign Ministry rejected the accusation as baseless.

The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) said the attack was the deadliest in Islamabad in over ten years. Authorities said the assault came amid heightened security ahead of a planned visit by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, as Pakistan faces a broader rise in militant violence targeting Shiite communities.