Incident Summary:
05/28/2006: Five or more rockets were launched at Pakistan’s city of Quetta, killing one woman and injuring two of her children and one other male relative, who were in the home of their husband/father, army soldier Rahim Nawaz. Another rocket landed near a mosque, damaging its wall, but it appears the others did no harm. Merak Baloch claimed responsibility for the rocket attacks for his ‘banned organization,’ stating that they were fired in protest to nuclear tests conducted in the Balochistan province by the government on May 28, 1998. This incident is connected to another rocket attack in the Balochistan province (200605280009). No claim of responsibility was reported.
Overview
GTD ID:
200605280010
When:
2006-05-28
Country:
Pakistan
Region:
South Asia
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Balochistan
City:
Quetta
Location Details:
The rockets fell in many places in the city of Quetta, including army soldier Nawaz's house, near a mosque, and China Chowk on the Ordinance Road. The rockets were fired from the western bypass area.
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Bombing/Explosion |
Type of Attack () |
Facility/Infrastructure Attack |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Unknown |
Name of Entity |
Pakistan's Balochistan Province |
Specific Description |
Quetta City |
Nationality of Target |
Pakistan |
Additional Information
Hostages |
No |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Yes |
Extent of Property Damage |
Minor (likely < $1 million) |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Explosives |
Projectile (rockets, mortars, RPGs, etc.) |
Weapon Details |
The Hong Kong AFP source states that 5 rockets were fired, but the Karachi Dawn states that 30 rockets were fired throughout Balochistan province on this day. It appears that most of the rockets landed without doing much harm. |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | Yes |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
This was one of a multitude of attacks in the nation of Pakistan on this day. This incident is connected to another rocket attack in the Balochistan province (200605280009). Merak Baloch claimed responsibility for his group, but the only mention of its name was 'banned organization' in the source. The attack occurred eight years to the day Pakistan tested a nuclear device in the region, which was the stated reason for the attack by Baloch. |
Who
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name |
Claimed Responsibility |
Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) (suspected) |
Yes (Confirmed: Unknown; Mode: Call (post-incident)) |
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
1 Fatalities / 3 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
1 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
3 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
“AFP Told: One Killed, Two Hurt as Suspected Insurgents Fired Rockets in Pakistan,” Hong Kong AFP, May 28, 2006. |
“Pakistan: Woman Killed; Banned Outfit's 'Spokesman' Claims Quetta Rocket Attacks,” Karachi Dawn¸ May 28, 2006. |
“Pakistan: Gas Pipeline Blown Up Near Sui, Woman Killed in Rocket Attacks,” Islamabad The News, May 29, 2006. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties