At least 44 were martyred, and above 157 were injured in a mosque bomb blast in Police Lines, Peshawar, on Monday at 1:40 pm during Zuhr prayers.
Lady Reading Hospital (LRC) spokesperson Mohammad Asim told Reuters that 157 injured people were transported to the hospital, some in severe condition.
Security officials said the suicide bomber was positioned in the front row during Zohr’s prayers when he detonated himself.
Asim stated the area is blocked off, and only ambulances are allowed.
Police spokesman Sikandar Khan said a piece of the structure had collapsed, and numerous individuals were suspected to be under it.
The terrorist organization Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the explosion.
Peshawar Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Muhammad Ijaz Khan told the media that the explosion caused the collapse of the mosque’s roof. Several soldiers are trapped beneath the debris, and rescuers attempt to extricate them.
He reported that the mosque’s main hall, which had a capacity of 250 to 300 people, had collapsed, but the rest of the structure was still standing.
In response to a question regarding the nature of the explosion, the official stated, “The odor of explosives has been detected, but it is too soon to make any definitive statements.”
Khan stated that between 300 and 400 police officers were in the area at the time of the explosion. “It is evident that there was a security breach,” the CCPO told the media.
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