Red Mosque Siege

The Red Mosque Siege, commonly called the Lal Masjid siege, was a standoff in 2007 centered around the the Lal Masjid mosque and madrasah in Islamabad, Pakistan. The mosque had been led by Maulana Abdul Aziz and Abdul Rashid Ghazi, along with a group of faithful militants, who had continuously threatened the government with hateful speeches, violent demonstrations, kidnapping and vandalism. After members came into armed conflict with the Pakistani army, the mosque was besieged. The standoff lasted from July 3 until July 11, 2007 at which point negotiations finally failed and the compound was stormed by special forces. The action caused the Taliban rebels to cancel peace negotiations with Pakistan and sparked an escalation of the Waziristan Conflict.

Fast Facts

1. The Red Mosque has a history of militancy
2. In January, 2007 students occupied a library to protest against the destruction of mosques illegally built on state land
3. The Mosque is led by Maulana Abdul Aziz, known for his provocative sermons
4. His followers demand the enforcement of strict Islamic law
5. Before the current siege, seven Chinese workers at a massage parlor were abducted

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