The number of people killed in a suicide bomb attack at a mosque in Pakistan has risen to at least 100 – and authorities have warned there could be more casualties.
A further 225 people were left injured in the blast, which saw a bomber detonate a suicide vest as numerous worshippers – including many local policemen – were praying inside.
Local police officer Zafar Khan said the impact of the explosion caused the roof of the mosque to cave in, injuring dozens.
Rescuers worked through the night and into Tuesday morning, removing mounds of debris to reach worshippers still trapped under the rubble.
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The death toll rose as more bodies were found and several of the critically injured died, said Mohammad Asim, a government hospital spokesman in Peshawar.
Most of the victims were police officers, he said.
Riaz Mahsud, a senior local government official, added that the casualty toll was likely to rise as workers continued to clear the debris.
Officials initially said at least 59 people were killed. A hospital spokesperson on Tuesday confirmed the death toll had risen to 100.
The 'handiwork of a well-organised group'
Who carried out the bombing remains unclear, but a commander from the Pakistani Taliban, known as the TTP, did try to claim responsibility.
However, a spokesman for the group later distanced it from the carnage, saying it was not its policy to target mosques.
It comes at a time when the TTP, which is the main anti-government militant group, has stepped up attacks, particularly targeting the police and the military.
Counter-terrorism police are investigating how the bomber was able to reach the mosque, which is inside a walled-off police headquarters compound called Police Lines.
Akhtar Ali Shah, a former regional interior secretary once based in Peshawar, said it "was not a spur of the moment attack".
"It was the handiwork of a well-organised group," he said, adding that those behind the attack must have had inside help to gain access to the compound and probably entered it several times for reconnaissance or even to plant explosives ahead of time.
Local media published a photograph showing people gathering around the collapsed wall of the mosque.
One survivor, 38-year-old police officer Meena Gul, said he was inside the mosque during the blast, and that he did not know how he survived unhurt.
He said he could hear cries and screams after the bomb exploded, adding there were more than 150 worshippers inside the mosque when the bomb went off.
PM vows to take 'stern action'
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif condemned the bombing in a statement, before ordering authorities to ensure the best possible medical treatment for the victims.
He also vowed "stern action" against the perpetrators.
Former prime minister Imran Khan described the bombing as a "terrorist suicide attack".
"My prayers & condolences go to victims families," the ex-premier said on Twitter.
"It is imperative we improve our intelligence gathering & properly equip our police forces to combat the growing threat of terrorism."
The Pakistani Taliban is usually suspected of such attacks in the country, after claiming similar bombings in the past.
Known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, the Pakistani Taliban are a separate group but also a close ally of the Afghan Taliban, which seized power in neighbouring Afghanistan in August 2021 as US and NATO troops were in the final stages of their withdrawal from the country after 20 years of war.
The group has waged an insurgency in Pakistan over the past 15 years, fighting for stricter enforcement of Islamic laws, the release of their members who are in government custody, along with a reduction of Pakistani military presence in the country's former tribal regions.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiZ2h0dHBzOi8vbmV3cy5za3kuY29tL3N0b3J5L3N1aWNpZGUtYm9tYmVyLWtpbGxzLWF0LWxlYXN0LTE3LWFmdGVyLXRhcmdldGluZy1tb3NxdWUtaW4tcGFraXN0YW4tMTI3OTkwNTLSAWtodHRwczovL25ld3Muc2t5LmNvbS9zdG9yeS9hbXAvc3VpY2lkZS1ib21iZXIta2lsbHMtYXQtbGVhc3QtMTctYWZ0ZXItdGFyZ2V0aW5nLW1vc3F1ZS1pbi1wYWtpc3Rhbi0xMjc5OTA1Mg?oc=5
2023-01-31 15:22:30Z
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