Rising Trend of Female Suicide Bombers in Baluchistan: Examining the Case of Samia Qalandarani

Rising Trend of Female Suicide Bombers in Baluchistan: Examining the Case of Samia Qalandarani

Women have played multifaceted roles in terrorist organizations since the advent of modern terrorism. The militant landscape of Pakistan is no different. In the recent past, Islamist terrorist organizations, such as Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP), have fielded women in terrorist attacks in Pakistan (NACTA, 2019). However, in nationalist-separatist movements in Pakistan, the involvement of women is a comparatively new phenomenon. This makes the case of Samia Qalandarani particularly noteworthy.

Samia’s Suicide Attack 

On June 24, Baluchistan Liberation Army (BLA), a Baluch nationalist-separatist organization, perpetrated a suicide attack in Turbat district involving a female suicide bomber. The target was a convoy of senior intelligence officers, who were on an official tour of the region. [1]

The delegation landed at Turbat airport 30 minutes before the suicide attack. They had intended to be taken to the district intelligence headquarters from the airport. [2] As far as intelligence matters are concerned, this represented a major compromise of operational security. Such official tours are highly secretive and only a handful people know about the routes and meetings, but somehow the BLA was able to learn of the plan ahead of time.

The convoy was struck near a downtown roundabout in Turbat city, and as a result two others were injured and one nearby police officer in his vehicle was killed (Dawn, June 24). As the investigation progressed, it surfaced that the suicide bomber was a young girl named Samia Qalandarani Baluch. In a press release, BLA spokesperson Jeeyand Baluch quickly claimed responsibility for the suicide attack and clarified that their target had been the military convoy, not the police patrol vehicle.

Who was Samia Qalandarani?

25-year old Samia Qalandarani was born in Tootak village of Khuzdar District of Baluchistan Province. She hailed from a Baluch nationalist family; her father, Obaidullah Qalandarani, was a staunch supporter of the Baluch nationalist movement. She was also educated, and joined BLA seven years ago. Qalandarani received training at a BLA training camp, and would then remain part of the group’s media wing for five years.

Furthermore, she volunteered to become a suicide bomber right after the death of her fiancé. [3] Her fiancé was Rehan Baluch, who himself became the BLA’s first ever suicide bomber when he targeted Chinese engineers in the Dalbandin area of Chagi District of Baluchistan Province in August 2018 (Arab News, August 11, 2018). Qalandarani’s father-in-law, Aslam Baluch (alias Achu), also was the founder and leader of the Majeed Brigade, which is the BLA’s fidayeen (suicide squad). Aslam was killed in Kandahar, Afghanistan in December 2018 (Al Jazeera, December 27, 2018). After laying the foundations for the Majeed Brigade, Aslam first presented his own son, Rehan, to become the first suicide bomber of the Majeed Brigade. [4] 

Samia Qalandarani was not the first Baluch woman to join the ranks of the Majeed Brigade for the purposes of conducting a suicide bombing. Prior to this incident, in April 2022, Shari Baluch (alias Bramsh) was a part of a suicide bombing in Karachi that killed three Chinese citizens (BBC Asia, April 26, 2022). Shari was a primary school teacher and hailed from a middle-class Baluch family. After that incident, intelligence reports predicted that more Baluch females would join the Majeed Brigade to sign up for suicide attacks. These reports also revealed that some Baluch women were detained by security forces in Turbat District on suspicion of potential links with the Majeed Brigade and the possibility of their becoming suicide bombers (Aaj English, May 16, 2022). Thus, while the security forces seemed to have been on the trail of Samia Qalandarani, they were unable to stop her suicide operation.

Conclusion

The involvement of women in Baluch nationalist-separatist movements, and especially in suicide attacks, is a matter of grave concern in Pakistan. If not taken seriously by Pakistani security policymakers, then this tactic may prolong the militant campaign of nationalist-separatist movements in Baluchistan province. Pakistan could respond by establishing a specially designated counter-violent extremism program directed at women in Baluchistan, but this does not appear to be on the table at present.

Notes:

[1] Discussions with a senior journalist in Islamabad on July 4, 2023.

[2] Discussions with a senior police officer who requested for anonymity on July 4, 2023.

[3] Discussions with a journalist based in Islamabad on July 4, 2023.

[4] Discussions with a senior journalist based in Islamabad on July 4, 2023.