2009 Jamrud mosque bombing
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Jamrud mosque bombing occurred on March 27, 2009, in Jamrud
in the Khyber Agency
of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas
during Friday prayers. The local police immediately claimed a casualty count of 48 while adding that the death toll could reach as high as 70. A hundred wounded were also taken to hospital. It was reported that about 250 worshippers were present during prayer time.
(Urdu: جمرود), is a town located in the Khyber Agency, one of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. The town is of strategic importance, as the doorway to the Khyber Pass
, part of the Hindu Kush range, which leads into Afghanistan. The Khyber Pass has been a principal route for resupplying NATO forces in the current Afghan theater of conflict. In February, 2009, a bridge 15 miles northwest of Peshawar
was blown up by militants presumably sympathetic to or sponsored by the Taliban .
The bombing of the Jamrud mosque comes at a time of increased uncertainty in Pakistan following a high-profile attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team
as well as more tense moments as former PM Nawaz Sharif threatened to joined the lawyer's Long March to Islamabad despite fact that he had been placed under 'house arrest at his family's compound Raiwind, with the stated aim of reinstating the sacked Chief Justice Iftikhar Choudhary
as promised, although this calls for a new "revolution" was also a direct response to, his being barred, along with his brother, from ever running for any government office again, and the consequent dismissal of the Punjab
government led by his brother. There was also talk of an increased American drone bombing campaign into other areas of Pakistan.
Al Jazeera English reported that "rising violence in Pakistan's northwest [was] fueling doubts about the country's ability to counter Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters." Jamrud also lies in the Khyber region, where fighters have intensified attacks on lorries carrying supplies to NATO and US forces in Afghanistan.
This attack came a day after at least 11 people were killed at a restaurant in the same northwest region in the Jandola
district of South Waziristan
.
's call to prayer. As a result of the attack the upper floor of the mosque collapsed on the worshippers below. A photo showed that three columns supporting a beam connected to the Mosque's Minarettes at either side of the structure was all that remained of the Mosque.
A report said a commander of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan’s Khyber Agency chapter had warned through the media of attacks if the security forces did not vacate the Frontier Corps checkposts in Jamrud and Landikotal by February 20. Khassadars at the village of Bagyari (the site of the blast) told reporters that a Taliban commander Nazeer Afridi from the Sepah tribe in Bara had issued the warning through letters, saying they would not allow the Peshawar-Torkham
route to be used by vehicles carrying supplies for Nato forces in Afghanistan. Afghanistan-bound Nato convoys and truck terminals in Peshawar and Khyber Agency have been attacked in recent months .
and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani "strongly condemned the suicide attack" while vowing that the perpetrators would be brought to justice. Asfandyar Wali Khan
was quoted as saying 'The bomber and his operatives have once again demonstrated that this is not a war for Islam and Shariah, this is not jihad, but war against humanity,'
Jamrud
Jamrud , is a town located in the Khyber Agency, one of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. The town is the doorway to the Khyber pass, part of the Hindu Kush range...
in the Khyber Agency
Khyber agency
Khyber is a tribal area in the FATA region of Pakistan. It is one of the eight tribal areas, better known as agencies in Pakistan. It ranges from the Tirah valley down to Peshawar...
of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas
Federally Administered Tribal Areas
The Federally Administered Tribal Areas are a semi-autonomous tribal region in the northwest of Pakistan, lying between the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and the neighboring country of Afghanistan. The FATA comprise seven Agencies and six FRs...
during Friday prayers. The local police immediately claimed a casualty count of 48 while adding that the death toll could reach as high as 70. A hundred wounded were also taken to hospital. It was reported that about 250 worshippers were present during prayer time.
Background
JamrudJamrud
Jamrud , is a town located in the Khyber Agency, one of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. The town is the doorway to the Khyber pass, part of the Hindu Kush range...
(Urdu: جمرود), is a town located in the Khyber Agency, one of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. The town is of strategic importance, as the doorway to the Khyber Pass
Khyber Pass
The Khyber Pass, is a mountain pass linking Pakistan and Afghanistan.The Pass was an integral part of the ancient Silk Road. It is mentioned in the Bible as the "Pesh Habor," and it is one of the oldest known passes in the world....
, part of the Hindu Kush range, which leads into Afghanistan. The Khyber Pass has been a principal route for resupplying NATO forces in the current Afghan theater of conflict. In February, 2009, a bridge 15 miles northwest of Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
was blown up by militants presumably sympathetic to or sponsored by the Taliban .
The bombing of the Jamrud mosque comes at a time of increased uncertainty in Pakistan following a high-profile attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team
2009 attack on the Sri Lanka national cricket team
The Sri Lankan cricket team attack occurred on March 3, 2009, when a bus carrying Sri Lankan cricketers, part of a larger convoy, was fired upon by 12 gunmen, near the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore, Pakistan. The cricketers were on their way to play the third day of the second Test against the...
as well as more tense moments as former PM Nawaz Sharif threatened to joined the lawyer's Long March to Islamabad despite fact that he had been placed under 'house arrest at his family's compound Raiwind, with the stated aim of reinstating the sacked Chief Justice Iftikhar Choudhary
Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry
Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry is the current Chief Justice of Pakistan.He became chief justice of Pakistan's Supreme Court in 2005 and soon became not only a central figure in the nation's political struggles but an icon to the country's legal profession and others campaigning for the rule of law...
as promised, although this calls for a new "revolution" was also a direct response to, his being barred, along with his brother, from ever running for any government office again, and the consequent dismissal of the Punjab
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
government led by his brother. There was also talk of an increased American drone bombing campaign into other areas of Pakistan.
Al Jazeera English reported that "rising violence in Pakistan's northwest [was] fueling doubts about the country's ability to counter Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters." Jamrud also lies in the Khyber region, where fighters have intensified attacks on lorries carrying supplies to NATO and US forces in Afghanistan.
This attack came a day after at least 11 people were killed at a restaurant in the same northwest region in the Jandola
Jandola
Jandola is a town in Frontier Region Tank, Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Pakistan....
district of South Waziristan
Waziristan
Waziristan is a mountainous region near the Northwest of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . The area is entirely populated by ethnic Pashtuns . The language spoken in the valley is Pashto/Pakhto...
.
Follow up
The next day a supply base for NATO troops was attacked and 12 containers were damaged.Attack
The attack occurred just after the muezzinMuezzin
A muezzin , or muzim, is the chosen person at a mosque who leads the call to prayer at Friday services and the five daily times for prayer from one of the mosque's minarets; in most modern mosques, electronic amplification aids the muezzin in his task.The professional muezzin is chosen for his...
's call to prayer. As a result of the attack the upper floor of the mosque collapsed on the worshippers below. A photo showed that three columns supporting a beam connected to the Mosque's Minarettes at either side of the structure was all that remained of the Mosque.
Responsibility
Though there was no immediate claim of responsibility, other details have raised speculation. The mosque is near a police checkpoint where "people in that checkpoint usually pray in this mosque"; there were rumours that suggested foreign hands were responsible. A tribal policeman also made an early claim that pro-Taliban fighters were guilty of carrying out the bombing after a recent offensive aimed in part at protecting a supply route for NATO and US troops operating in Afghanistan. He said that "Residents of this area had co-operated and helped us a lot. These infidels had warned that they will take revenge. They are the enemy of Pakistan. They are the enemy of Islam."A report said a commander of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan’s Khyber Agency chapter had warned through the media of attacks if the security forces did not vacate the Frontier Corps checkposts in Jamrud and Landikotal by February 20. Khassadars at the village of Bagyari (the site of the blast) told reporters that a Taliban commander Nazeer Afridi from the Sepah tribe in Bara had issued the warning through letters, saying they would not allow the Peshawar-Torkham
Torkham
Torkham is a border crossing town in the Nangarhar province of Afghanistan and the Khyber Agency of Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas, right on the Durand Line border....
route to be used by vehicles carrying supplies for Nato forces in Afghanistan. Afghanistan-bound Nato convoys and truck terminals in Peshawar and Khyber Agency have been attacked in recent months .
Reaction
Pakistan President Asif Ali ZardariAsif Ali Zardari
Asif Ali Zardari is the 11th and current President of Pakistan and the Co-Chairman of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party . He is also the widower of Benazir Bhutto, who served two nonconsecutive terms as Prime Minister....
and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani "strongly condemned the suicide attack" while vowing that the perpetrators would be brought to justice. Asfandyar Wali Khan
Asfandyar Wali Khan
Asfandyar Wali Khan is a democratic socialist and the current the President of the Awami National Party in Pakistan.His father, Khan Abdul Wali Khan, was the party's first President...
was quoted as saying 'The bomber and his operatives have once again demonstrated that this is not a war for Islam and Shariah, this is not jihad, but war against humanity,'
See also
- Violence in Pakistan 2006-09Violence in Pakistan 2006-09This is a list of violent incidents in Pakistan since 2006. Violence increased in 2006, in part because the US/NATO strategy from 2005 of attacking the Taliban in their stronghold in South Afghanistan , lead to incidents on the Pakistani side of the border.-See also:*Waziristan War*Civilian...
, table and map providing overview of all violence in Pakistan between 2006 and 2009.