Suicide bombing at mosque in Pakistan kills 32, targeted police
A suicide bombing at a crowded mosque in Pakistan's Peshawar killed at least 32 people on Monday...
Army soldiers and police officers clear the way for ambulances rushing toward a bomb explosion site, at the main entry gate of police offices, in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Monday, Jan 30, 2023.
A suicide bombing at a crowded mosque in Pakistan's Peshawar killed at least 32 people on Monday (Jan 30), the latest attack targeting police in this north-western city where Islamist militants remain active.
Hospital officials said at least 147 people were wounded, with many of them in critical condition.
The attack happened during afternoon prayers in the northwestern city of Peshawar, close to former tribal areas that border Afghanistan where militancy has been steadily rising.
The mosque was located close to a police housing block, and there were some 260 people inside when the blast occurred, according to police.
Part of the mosque roof and wall had collapsed and bloodied survivors limped from the wreckage, as bodies were ferried away in ambulances, an AFP reporter saw.
Prime Minister Shebaz Sharif called the blast a suicide attack.
No one has claimed responsibility for the bombing, which ripped through the mosque during noon prayers, causing a wall to collapse on top of worshippers.
The building is located inside a highly fortified compound that includes the headquarters of the provincial police force and a counter-terrorism department.
