Pakistan horrified by heavy attack on mosque in high-security zone

Reuters

NOS Nieuws•vandaag, 19:21

The death toll from the explosion at a mosque in the Pakistani city of Peshawar has risen. It is now clear that 59 people died in the attack. There are also at least 170 injured.

At the beginning of the afternoon, almost thirty more deaths were reported. The death toll is likely to rise further, as many of the injured are in critical condition in hospital.

According to authorities, a man blew himself up inside the mosque. Hundreds of people lined up for prayer at that time, many of them police officers. How the man was able to enter is unclear: the mosque is located in a heavily secured area in the northern Pakistani city. There are many government buildings and a main police building in that area.

Roof collapsed

According to the police, many people were injured when part of the roof of the mosque collapsed from the explosion. There are still people under the rubble. The attack has not yet been officially claimed. In the past, the Taliban were more often responsible for such attacks.

According to international news agencies, this is the worst attack in Peshawar since March last year. At least 58 people were killed in an IS suicide bombing at a mosque. The attack happened during Friday prayers.

The city is more often the target of terrorist movements such as IS and the Pakistani Taliban (TTP). The latter group ended a ceasefire with the Pakistani government at the end of last year.

Shocked reactions

There are many shocked reactions to the attack. President Sharif has condemned the attack. “The magnitude of this human tragedy is indescribable. This is nothing short of an attack on Pakistan.” The Interior Minister has announced an investigation.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack “in the strongest possible terms”. He calls it horrible that people have died in an attack in a house of prayer.

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