Islamabad: Significant progress has been made in the investigation of the Tarlai Kalan suicide blast, as intelligence and law enforcement agencies have arrested the ISIS Afghan mastermind along with several key facilitators in coordinated operations across the country.
According to security sources, raids were conducted in Peshawar, Nowshera, Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad, leading to the arrest of four facilitators, including the mastermind linked to ISIS (Daesh) Afghanistan.
The suicide bomber was identified as Yasir, a resident of Peshawar, who had reportedly stayed in Afghanistan for four months before carrying out the attack. Sources said the planning, training, and radicalization of the attacker were carried out in Afghanistan under ISIS influence.
Security officials confirmed that the bomber’s brother-in-law was arrested from Karachi, while his brother was taken into custody in Peshawar. An important facilitator was killed during an operation in Nowshera. In a major breakthrough, the mother of the suicide bomber was arrested from a house in a posh sector of Islamabad.
The Islamabad suicide blast investigation revealed that the attacker conducted multiple reconnaissance visits to the mosque before the attack. He had visited the location at least once a week earlier and again shortly before the incident.
Initial findings show that the attacker opened fire before entering the mosque hall and then detonated himself inside. He used 4 to 6 kilograms of explosives, packed with a large quantity of ball bearings. Investigators recovered all bullet casings from the crime scene. The attacker reportedly fired two shots outside and six shots inside the mosque.
During the intelligence-based operations, one security personnel embraced martyrdom, while three others were injured. Security sources said further intelligence-based operations (IBOs) are ongoing nationwide to dismantle terrorist networks.
Authorities stated that NADRA and the National Forensic Agency are assisting in evidence collection and verification. Security officials warned that ISIS and other terrorist groups operating under Afghan Taliban patronage pose a serious threat to regional and global peace.