Islamabad bombing targets foreigners

The Taliban and al Qaeda continue their terror campaign in the nuclear-armed state of Pakistan. The latest bombing occurred at an Italian restaurant in the capital city of Islamabad. At least one civilian was killed and 15 wounded in an attack that appears to have targeted foreigners in the city.

The bombing occurred in the courtyard of the Luna Caprese restaurant, known to be frequented by foreigners. Pakistani police ruled out a suicide bomb attack and believe the bomb was planted and detonated remotely.

The person killed in the bombing has been identified as a female Turkish nurse who worked at the US Embassy. “Seven US citizens, a Chinese national, a Briton, a Canadian citizen, two Japanese journalists and three Pakistanis” were wounded, The Hindu reported. Several members of the US Embassy also were wounded.

Pakistan’s Interior Ministry has issued a new terror advisory in the wake of the Islamabad bombing, Geo News reported. “Federal Authorities and Provincial Home Ministries have been informed that latest intelligence signals more terrorist acts in the country.”

The Italian restaurant bombing in Islamabad comes four days after a dual suicide bombing strike that hit the building housing Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency and another building that served as the headquarters of an advertising agency. Pakistani intelligence had issued warning that the Federal Investigation Agency may be targeted, but failed to prevent the attack.

Today’s bombing in Islamabad is the seventh major strike inside Pakistan since Feb. 25. Six of the seven attacks occurred outside of Pakistan’s tribal agencies, where the Taliban and al Qaeda have fought pitched battles against Pakistan’s security forces.

The March 11 bombing in Lahore claimed 28 killed and more than 160 wounded. A suicide bomber attacked the Naval War College in Lahore on March 4. Seven Pakistanis were killed and 21 were wounded in that attack.

An attack at a tribal meeting in the settled district of Kohat in the Northwest Frontier Province on March 2 resulted in more than 40 killed and 40 wounded. The tribal leaders were discussing how to curb Taliban attacks in Kohat and the neighboring Orakzai tribal agency.

A suicide bomber attacked a vehicle of the Bajaur Levies on March 1. Two paramilitary soldiers were killed and 24 were wounded. A suicide bomber struck at a policeman’s funeral in the settled district of Lakki Marwat on Feb. 29. More than 40 Pakistanis were killed and scores more were wounded, many of them critically.

On Feb. 25, a suicide bomber killed the Pakistani Army’s surgeon general in the military garrison city of Rawalpindi. Seven others were killed in the attack and 20 were wounded after a Taliban suicide bomber rammed into Lieutenant General Mushtaq Ahmed Baig’s staff car. Mushtaq is the senior-most general killed in Pakistan since Sept. 11, 2001.

Bill Roggio is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Editor of FDD's Long War Journal.

Tags: Pakistan