(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) A suicide bomber detonated explosives inside a mosque in
northwestern Pakistan on Monday, killing and wounding dozens of
worshippers, officials said, trend reports citing abc7 .
The blast occurred at a mosque near police offices in Peshawar,
the capital of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, not far from
the country's border with Afghanistan. More than 150 people were
reportedly were praying when the suicide bomber struck. An
eyewitness told ABC News that the roof collapsed from the
impact.
Security and government officials confirmed the explosion was
from a suicide bomber. The Pakistan Taliban, known as
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, have claimed responsibility for
the attack.
At least 59 people were killed and more than 157 others were
injured, a local hospital spokesperson told ABC News. Among those
killed were at least 33 police officers.
It's not clear how the bomber was able to slip into the walled
compound, which houses the police headquarters in the northwestern
city of Peshawar, and is itself located in a high-security zone
with other government buildings.
Pakistani Prime Minster Shehbaz Sharif, who visited the scene in
Peshawar on Monday, condemned the bombing and urged people to
donate blood to help save the wounded.
The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad also issued a statement condemning
the 'horrific attack.'
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