At least 16 people, including five police personnel, were killed in a suicide blast during Friday prayers at a mosque in Kohat district, Pakistan
More than 50 people were injured and taken to hospitals, with most of the wounded reported to be worshippers
No individual or group has claimed responsibility for the attack, while Pakistan’s president and prime minister condemned the blast and ordered relief efforts
At Least 16 Killed, Dozens Injured In Mosque Suicide Blast In Pakistan
At least 16 people, including five police personnel, were killed and dozens injured in a suicide blast during Friday prayers at a mosque near the old Police Lines in Kohat, northwest Pakistan.
Summary
At least 16 people were killed and dozens injured in a powerful suicide blast during Friday prayers at a mosque near the old Police Lines in Kohat district of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
According to PTI, the blast occurred at the mosque, around 60 kilometres southwest of Peshawar. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Chief Zulfiqar Hameed said the dead included five police personnel and 11 civilians.
More than 50 injured people were taken to hospital, according to the District Headquarters Hospital. Most of those wounded were worshippers. Rescue teams reached the site after the explosion and shifted several of the injured to nearby hospitals. The blast also caused a crater outside the mosque.
No individual or group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.
Pakistan Condemns Blast
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the blast and expressed concern over the injuries, according to state media reports.
Zardari called for the complete elimination of what he described as “Fitnah al-Khawarij” and terrorists operating with foreign backing. He also wished the injured a speedy recovery.
Shehbaz Sharif directed authorities to ensure immediate and the best possible medical treatment for those injured and ordered relief operations to be expedited. He also sought a report on the nature and causes of the blast.
The prime minister called for all possible facilities to be provided to those affected by the attack.
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