A suicide bombing at a Shia mosque in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad killed at least 31 people and wounded dozens more during Friday prayers, in one of the deadliest attacks to strike the city in recent years.
The explosion tore through the Khadija Tul Kubra mosque in the Tarlai Kalan area of southeastern Islamabad. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said security guards tried to stop the suspect, who opened fire before detonating explosives among worshippers.
Islamabad authorities said 169 injured people were taken to hospitals after emergency teams reached the scene. Later on Friday, the armed group calling itself the Islamic State claimed responsibility on its Telegram channel, according to Reuters. An affiliate of the group has previously been linked to attacks targeting Pakistan’s Shia minority.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar condemned what he called a “cowardly suicide attack on innocent worshippers,” saying that targeting places of worship and civilians is a crime against humanity. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed “deep grief” over the incident, while President Asif Ali Zardari said the nation stands with the affected families.
Raja Abbas Nasir, a senior Pakistani Shia leader, described the bombing as a serious failure to protect lives and questioned the performance of authorities and law enforcement agencies.
Source: Al Jazeera
