Insurgent attacks in Pakistan's largest yet poorest province hit a record last year, fanning risks to huge investments planned in the region, including Chinese and U.S. interests. Before those attacks, records show a total of five women BLA suicide bombers, including the first such attack in 2022, while three more would-be bombers were captured in counter-terrorism operations in the last some months. Reuters was unable to verify whether the sophisticated weapons used in the BLA attacks were made in the United States or came from elsewhere. And the insurgents hope propaganda about women recruits will boost their impact. The women hail from various socio-economic backgrounds, with some having university education, Pakistan's counter terrorism department said in a December report seen by Reuters.

Source: The Telegraph February 11, 2026 06:20 UTC