A Taliban suicide bomber blew himself up in a mosque packed with worshippers during afternoon prayers on Monday in the high-security zone in Pakistan’s northwestern Peshawar.
Peshawar mosque blast: The militant group, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, has waged an insurgency in Pakistan over the past 15 years. It seeks the stricter enforcement of Islamic laws, the release of their members who are in government custody and a reduction in the Pakistani military presence in areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that it has longed used as its base.
Pakistan suicide blast: Brother of slain TTP commander claims Peshawar attack, calls it act of revenge
A frantic rescue mission is underway at the mosque, which had an entire wall and some of its roof blown out by the force of the blast.
“Many policemen are buried under the rubble,” said Peshawar police chief Muhammad Ijaz Khan, who estimated between 300 and 400 officers usually attended prayers at the mosque. “Efforts are being made to get them out safely,” he said. Bloodied survivors emerged limping from the wreckage, while bodies were ferried away in ambulances as the rescue operation continued.
Pakistan blast: Former prime minister Imran Khan strongly condemned the terrorist attack in the mosque.
“My prayers and condolences go to victims’ families. It is imperative we improve our intelligence gathering & properly equip our police forces to combat the growing threat of terrorism,” the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf tweeted.
