Islamabad, Europe Brief News – At least 32 people have been killed while dozens more were injured in a bombing at a mosque in the Pakistani city of Peshawar.
A spokesperson at Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar says at least 32 people have been confirmed dead. More than 70 were also brought in for treatment. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Most of those who died were part of the police force. And it is believed they were the target of the attack.
Early reports said a bomber sitting in the front row had blown himself up. But this has not been confirmed. No group has said it carried out the attack.
Peshawar police chief Muhammad Ijaz Khan told local media that between 300 and 400 police officials were present in the area at the time of the blast.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has strongly condemned it. In a statement, he said those behind the incident “have nothing to do with Islam”.
He added: “The entire nation is standing united against the menace of terrorism.”
The blast took place around 13:30 (08:30 GMT) during afternoon prayers in the north-western city, near the country’s border with Afghanistan.
A video circulating social media and verified by the BBC shows that half of a wall has caved in. The mosque is covered in bricks and debris as people clamber over the rubble to escape.
A rescue operation is continuing inside the mosque and “more bodies are being taken out,” Peshawar city Deputy Commissioner Shafiullah Khan said.
“Currently our priority is to save people buried under the debris,” Mr Khan added.
