EPA
NOS News•Tuesday, 2:48 PM
At least 100 people have been killed in yesterday’s major bomb attack, according to the latest reports from Pakistan. The rescue operation at the blown-up mosque in the city of Peshawar has now been completed.
It is unclear if anyone alive was pulled from the rubble. However, according to officials, many bodies of victims were recovered. The deceased are mainly police officers, a hospital spokesman told international media. More than 50 injured people are being treated.
The attacker struck Monday early afternoon (local time). The roof of the mosque partially collapsed due to the force of the explosion. Estimates of the number of injured vary from over 170 to at least 225.
Watch footage of the aftermath and worship services for the victims here:
Massive suicide bombing at mosque in Pakistan
The mosque is located in a neighborhood with many police and army posts. How the suicide bomber passed the many checkpoints is still under investigation.
TTP in beeld
It is also unclear which organization is behind the attack. A commander of the TTP, the Pakistani branch of the Taliban, initially claimed responsibility. But that was later denied by the TTP spokesman. The aforementioned commander is part of a splinter movement within the TTP, says an Al Jazeera reporter.
Intelligence services would have warned of attacks a week and a half ago. The TTP is said to have prepared a series of attacks in Peshawar and the surrounding area. The city is located in the north of Pakistan, barely 60 kilometers from Afghanistan.
The region is regularly rocked by attacks. Violence has flared up especially since November, after the TTP declared a ceasefire with the government.
