https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/01/30/pakistan-peshawar-mosque-bomb/
PESHAWAR, Pakistan — An explosion ripped through a mosque in a police compound in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, bringing down the roof and killing at least 32 people, according to a hospital.
Muhammad Asim, a spokesman for the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, said there were at least 32 dead and 147 wounded, mostly policemen, and the toll is expected to rise as rescuers work through the mosque debris.
Police officials have not yet determined whether it was a suicide attack or the explosives were planted. “The rescue teams are busy in removing the debris. Once the debris is removed, then we would be in a position to say whether it was a suicide or not,” said Alam Khan, a spokesman for the Peshawar police.
The explosion went off during afternoon prayers in the mosque while at least 150 people were inside.
“We were lined up for the afternoon prayer and as the prayer leader said ‘Allahu Akbar’ a huge blast took place. Nothing was clear and visible as part of the roof of the mosque collapsed,” police inspector Mushtaq Khan said by telephone from the hospital.
The attackers behind the incident “have nothing to do with Islam,” said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a statement strongly condemning the blast. “Terrorists want to create fear by targeting those who perform the duty of defending Pakistan.”…
PESHAWAR, Pakistan — An explosion ripped through a mosque in a police compound in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, bringing down the roof and killing at least 32 people, according to a hospital.
Muhammad Asim, a spokesman for the Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, said there were at least 32 dead and 147 wounded, mostly policemen, and the toll is expected to rise as rescuers work through the mosque debris.
Police officials have not yet determined whether it was a suicide attack or the explosives were planted. “The rescue teams are busy in removing the debris. Once the debris is removed, then we would be in a position to say whether it was a suicide or not,” said Alam Khan, a spokesman for the Peshawar police.
The explosion went off during afternoon prayers in the mosque while at least 150 people were inside.
“We were lined up for the afternoon prayer and as the prayer leader said ‘Allahu Akbar’ a huge blast took place. Nothing was clear and visible as part of the roof of the mosque collapsed,” police inspector Mushtaq Khan said by telephone from the hospital.
The attackers behind the incident “have nothing to do with Islam,” said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in a statement strongly condemning the blast. “Terrorists want to create fear by targeting those who perform the duty of defending Pakistan.”…
