In all fairness, while I do object to the chosen method of escalation here, three things must be accepted:
One, this is an escalation, not starting it. In the recent conflict Sarum attacked civilian populations first. Yes; taking slaves is an atrocity towards civilian populations. Yes, the escalation escalates, not just responds, but, duh.
Two, it is moreover an escalation by people who were promised a war where “we come for our people” a decade ago, and have fought a war of attrition with no real progress ever since. What did the governments expect to happen? War radicalizes people. Despair even more.
Three, Ushra’Khan are a terrorist organization and they have always been. They supported Karishal Muritor in his defecting to escalate. They have close ties to things like The Bloody Hands of Matar, who have not shied away even from domestic terrorism. They have often voiced support for the political murders of Shakor’s coup or violent attacks as suppression of criticism. These are not nice people, and anyone with any sense of history should know it, and not act surprised.
All that said, these provocations are a senseless waste of life. They have about as much chance of real escalation as a demonstration on the streets of Shishaan, which is zero. Terror tactics just because you want to do something, do anything are beyond the pale; they are murdering in order to cope with your own despair, to drown it in blood rather than carry it.