Explosion kills dozens at religious event in Pakistan

A bomb went off Friday morning in a crowd observing the birthday of Muhammad, the central figure of the Islamic religion. The explosion in the Mastung district—an area in southwestern Pakistan—killed at least 52 and wounded around 70 others, authorities said. A separate blast also occurred Friday at a mosque in Hangu, a district in northwestern Pakistan, killing at least two people.

Who is responsible for the bombings? The festival explosion was a suicide attack, said Mastung’s Assistant Commissioner Atta Ul Munim. As of Friday afternoon, no group had claimed responsibility for either bombing. Militants typically target security forces, and the Pakistan Taliban has repeatedly said in the past that they do not target places of worship or civilians. The Islamic State group is also active in the area, bombing a political procession in Mastung on Sept. 14.

Dig deeper: Read A.S. Ibrahim’s column in World Opinions on what motivates a suicide bomber.