Pakistan: at least 47 dead and 150 injured after a suicide attack on a mosque

Until now 47 people died and another 150 were injured in a suicide attack which took place inside a mosque located in the Peshawar police headquarters, in the northwest of Pakistanduring the evening prayer when there were about 260 people inside of the place.

“I am here at the scene and rescue efforts are underway,” confirmed Peshawar Deputy City Commissioner Shafiullah Khan, adding: “More bodies are being removed. Right now our priority is to save the people buried under the rubble.”.

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Following the attack, the Pakistani authorities decreed maximum alert in all the country. Likewise, police officers point out that there may still be more victims buried under the rubble. As stated by a witness in dialogue with Geo TV, “a two-story building collapsed” at the time of prayers.

“Many are in critical condition”, detailed the spokesman for the city’s Lady Reading hospital, Mohammad Asim, regarding the condition of the survivors of the attack. In turn, the medical center was forced to carry out a appeal to donate blood to treat the enormous number of wounded who were transferred to the compound.

The priority right now is to find the people who have been trapped under the rubble.

The Pakistani authorities declared a maximum alert throughout the country.

Subsequently, the state chain PTV released images where police officers and emergency personnel could be seen working to remove the rubble and transfer the injured since, according to agent Sikandar Khan, “A part of the building collapsed and it is believed that there are several people under the rest”.

“I saw a black smoke go up to the sky. I ran out to save myself“, police officer Shahid Ali told about the moment of the incident, in dialogue with AFP. He himself was inside the place at the time of the explosion and added: “I still hear people screaming in my head. They were screaming for help”.

The local hospital should have made an appeal to donate blood to treat the injured.

Until now, no insurgent formation has claimed responsibility for the attack as own.

It is worth mentioning that the last attack that occurred in Pakistan took place in the same city in March 2022, also with a suicide attack, when a man detonated explosives inside a Shiite minority mosque, leaving 56 dead and almost 200 injured.

At the time, the attack was claimed by IS-K, a local branch of the Islamic State jihadist group.

AS./fl

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