At least 20 individuals have been killed and 96 injured after a suicide bomber struck a mosque in Pakistan.
The bomber detonated his suicide vest as numerous worshipers – together with many policemen from close by police workplaces – have been praying inside.
Local police officer Zafar Khan stated the influence of the explosion prompted the roof of the mosque to collapse, injuring dozens.
“A portion of the building had collapsed and several people are believed to be under it,” he added.
No one instantly claimed duty for the bombing in Peshawar, the capital of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, native police stated.
Mohammad Asim, a spokesman for the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, stated they have been treating 90 injured individuals, a few of them in vital situation.
Police feared the variety of deaths would rise.
Local media printed {a photograph} displaying individuals gathering across the collapsed wall of the mosque.
One survivor, 38-year-old police officer Meena Gul, stated he was contained in the mosque through the blast, and stated he doesn’t understand how he survived unharmed.
He stated he might hear cries and screams after the bomb exploded, including there have been greater than 150 worshippers contained in the mosque when the bomb went off.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif condemned the bombing in a press release, earlier than ordering authorities to make sure the absolute best medical remedy for the victims.
He additionally vowed “stern action” in opposition to the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Imran Khan described the bombing as a “terrorist suicide attack” on Twitter.
“My prayers & condolences go to victims families,” the ex-premier stated. “It is imperative we improve our intelligence gathering & properly equip our police forces to combat the growing threat of terrorism.”
The Pakistani Taliban is normally suspected of such assaults as this within the nation, after claiming comparable bombings prior to now.
Known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, the Pakistani Taliban are a separate group but in addition an in depth ally of the Afghan Taliban, who seized energy in neighboring Afghanistan in August 2021 as US and NATO troops have been within the remaining phases of their pullout from the nation after 20 years of warfare.
The group has waged an insurgency in Pakistan over the previous 15 years, combating for stricter enforcement of Islamic legal guidelines, the discharge of their members who’re in authorities custody, in addition to a discount of Pakistani army presence within the nation’s former tribal areas.
Source: information.sky.com”