At least 28 people were killed and 147 injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a mosque in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar.
According to the AP and Archyde.com news agency, the victims are mostly police because the mosque attacked is located inside a large complex and is also the city police headquarters.
Saddique Khan, a senior police officer in Peshawar, said that no one has yet claimed responsibility for the bombing that took place this followingnoon (January 30). However, the Pakistani Taliban is often blamed for similar suicide attacks in the past.
The suicide attacker detonated a vest containing the bomb as more than 200 worshipers were praying inside or heading towards the mosque to pray. The mosque complex – the city police headquarters, is located in a heavily secured area of Peshawar and it is not clear how the bomber was able to penetrate deep into this area without being detected. .
Local police officer Zafar Khan said that the impact of the explosion collapsed the roof of the mosque, injuring many people.
Police officer Meena Gul, 38, lucky to be alive, said he was in the mosque when the bomb exploded. Gul said he did not know how he was still alive and he heard many cries and screams following the bomb went off.
Police said rescuers were trying to clear the rubble from the mosque grounds and get those trapped under the rubble out. At a nearby hospital, many of the injured were listed as critical, while the death toll continued to rise.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif issued a statement condemning the bombing and asking authorities to ensure the victims receive the best medical care. The leader vowed to severely punish those behind the attack.
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan and is a frequent site of insurgent attacks.
Hoai Linh
