- December 2009 Rawalpindi attack
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December 2009 Rawalpindi attack Location mosque located on Parade Lane, Rawalpindi Date 4 December 2009
Around 12:00 pm (noon)[1] (PST+5)Attack type Suicide attack[2] Death(s) 37+[2] Injured 80+[3] Bold indicates attacks resulting in over 40 deaths
Underline indicates attacks resulting in over 100 deaths
Red indicates the deadliest terrorist attack to date2001 1st Bahawalpur2002 2003 1st Quetta – 1st Rawalpindi2004 2005 1st Mandi Bahauddin (Ahmadiyya)2006 4th Karachi – 1st Dargai2007 2008 2nd Charsadda – Parachinar – 1st Swat – 1st Darra Adam Khel – 1st Islamabad – 2nd Islamabad – Wah – 2nd Swat – 1st Peshawar – 3rd Islamabad – Orakzai – 2nd Peshawar2009 2nd Lahore (Lankan cricket) – 1st Khyber – 3rd Lahore – 4th Islamabad – Chakwal – 4th Lahore – Upper Dir – 3rd Peshawar – 5th Lahore – Khanewal – Kohat – 4th Peshawar – 4th Rawalpindi – Shangla – 6th Lahore – 5th Islamabad – 5th Peshawar – 5th Rawalpindi – 6th Peshawar – 6th Rawalpindi – 7th Lahore – 1st Dera Ghazi Khan – 1st Lower Dir – 6th Karachi2010 Lakki Marwat – 1st Bajaur – 2nd Lower Dir – 7th Karachi – 2nd Khyber – 3rd Khyber – 8th Lahore – 9th/10th Lahore – 7th Peshawar – 2nd/3rd Kohat – 8th Peshawar – 11th Lahore (Ahmadiyya) – 12th Lahore (Sufi) – 1st Mohmand Agency – 13th Lahore (Shia) – 3rd Quetta – 2nd Darra Adam Khel – 8th Karachi (CID) – 2nd Mohmand Agency – 2nd Bajaur2011 Faisalabad – 9th Peshawar – 2nd Dera Ghazi Khan – 3rd Charsadda – PNS Mehran – 10th Peshawar – Khyber Agency – 9th Karachi (target killings) – 1st Mastung
The December 2009 Rawalpindi attack in Rawalpindi, Pakistan was a terrorist attack on a mosque during Friday prayers on December 4, 2009.[2] The mosque is located near the Pakistan Army's headquarters in Rawalpindi, is surrounded by military houses and is frequented by retired and serving officers.[2][3]
Contents
The attack
Five armed suicide attackers opened fire on and hurled grenades at the crowd of about 150 worshippers, gathered for prayers in the mosque located on Parade Lane.[2][1] Security forces soon arrived on the scene to engage the terrorists; All five of the militants died by either blowing themselves up or fighting the soldiers inside the mosque.[2] The area around the mosque was cordoned off and the security forces initiated a search for more attackers in the area.[1] Helicopters were also used.[2]
Approximately 37 people were killed instantly, while 61 others were injured, including women and children.[2] The victims mostly include retired and serving officers.[3] Eyewitnesses reported that the victims were fired upon at close range and the mosque was badly damaged in the attack.[2] The roof of the mosque has collapsed.[1] No group has claimed responsibility.[3] An eyewitness reported the worshippers had to pass through "tight security", including metal detectors to enter the mosque. Senior police official Aslam Tarin suggested the attackers may have entered the mosque by scaling the mosque wall.[3]
The attack has been speculated to be in retaliation against the Pakistan army's campaign into the Taliban stronghold of South Waziristan.[2] Nine officers including a major general Umer Bilal, a brigadier, two lieutenant colonels and two majors were killed in Friday's attack as well as Hashim Masood Aslam, the only son of Lt. Gen Masood Aslam who is the commander of XI Corps (Pakistan). [4] General Muhammad Yousaf former deputy head of the army under Pervez Musharraf was injured in the attack.[5]
Aftermath
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attack in an email sent to CNN and stated "We once again mention that we are not against the innocent people and the state of Pakistan but against those officers and ministers who are American by hearts and minds and Pakistani just by faces".[6]
Muslim and Islamic Viewpoint
After the attack, a Muslim engineering student and a friend of a victim stated, "These extremists are not Muslims, they are butchers", he further went on to say, "We need to give these people proper education, to turn them into human beings".[7]
Pakistani Sufi scholar Tahir-ul-Qadri also condemned the attacks and said "Suicide attacks are not allowed in Islam, these actions are un-Islamic". He went on to say "The slaughter of human beings in any religion or country, and terrorism in all its manifestations, are totally in contradiction with the teachings of Islam."[8] A view which is also held by mainstream (non-Sufi) Muslims[9] and also stated in the Qur'an: -
See also
- List of terrorist incidents, 2009
References
- ^ a b c d "At least 32 dead as militants strike Rawalpindi". Dawn News. 4 Dec 2009. http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/pakistan/04-blast-in--rawalpindi-qs-04. Retrieved 04 December 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Walsh, Declan (4 Dec 2009). "Pakistan militants launch deadly attack on Rawalpindi mosque". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/dec/04/militants-attack-rawalpindi-mosque-pakistan. Retrieved 04 December 2009.
- ^ a b c d e "Pakistan Rawalpindi mosque attack kills many". BBC. 4 Dec 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8394694.stm. Retrieved 04 December 2009.
- ^ Pakistan mourns officers, civilians slain in mosque attack, France 24, 2009-12-05
- ^ Mosque Serving Pakistani Military Hit by Attackers, The New York Times, 2009-12-05
- ^ Pakistani Taliban claims responsibility for mosque strike, CNN, 2009-12-07
- ^ Pakistani's mourn military, civilian dead in mosque attack
- ^ In Pakistan, anguish and questions, The Washington Post, 2009-12-6
- ^ Fatwa on suicide and on praying for one who has committed suicide
Categories:- Terrorist incidents in Pakistan in 2009
- Rawalpindi District
- Suicide bombings in Pakistan
- Massacres in places of worship
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