© 2024 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY
WECS · WEDW-FM · WNPR · WPKT · WRLI-FM · WVOF
Public Files Contact · ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

A suicide bombing at a mosque in Pakistan kills at least 30

Rescue workers and volunteers gather at the site of bomb explosion in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Friday.
Muhammad Sajjad
/
AP
Rescue workers and volunteers gather at the site of bomb explosion in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Friday.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — A powerful bomb exploded inside a Shiite Muslim mosque in Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar on Friday, killing at least 30 worshippers and wounding dozens more, many of them critically, police said.

Local police official Waheed Khan said the explosion occurred as worshippers had collected in the Kucha Risaldar mosque in Peshawar's old city for Friday prayers. Ambulances rushed through congested narrow streets carrying the wounded to Lady Reading Hospital, where doctors worked feverishly.

Peshawar police Chief Muhammed Ejaz Khan said the violence started when two armed attackers opened fire on police outside the mosque. One attacker and one policeman were killed in the gunfight, and another police official was wounded. The remaining attacker then ran inside the mosque and detonated a bomb.

At least 150 worshippers were inside the mosque at the time of the explosion, said witnesses.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the blast, but both the Islamic State group and a violent Pakistani Taliban organization have carried out similar attacks in the region, located near the border with neighboring Afghanistan.

Shayan Haider, a witness, had been preparing to enter the mosque when a powerful explosion threw him to the street.

"I opened my eyes and there was dust and bodies everywhere," he said.

At the Lady Reading Hospital Emergency department, there was chaos as doctors struggled to move the many wounded into operating theaters. Hundreds of relatives gathered outside the emergency department, many of them wailing and beating their chests, pleading for information about their loved ones.

Prime Minister Imran Khan condemned the bombing.

Retired army officer Sher Ali who had been inside the mosque at the time of the explosion was injured by flying shrapnel. He made an impassioned plea to the Pakistani government for better protection of the country's minority Shiite Muslims.

"What is our sin? What have we done? Aren't we citizens of this country?" he said from within the emergency department, his white clothes splattered with blood.

In majority Sunni Muslim Pakistan, minority Shiite Muslims have come under repeated attacks.

In recent months Pakistan has experienced a broad increase of violence. Dozens of military personnel have been killed in scores of attacks on army outposts along the border with Afghanistan. Much has been claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, which analysts say have been emboldened by the Afghan Taliban's return to power last August.

Pakistan has urged Afghanistan's new rulers to handover Pakistani Taliban insurgents who have been staging their attacks from Afghanistan. Afghanistan's Taliban say their territory will not be used to stage attacks against anyone, but until now they have not handed over any Pakistani insurgents.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Stand up for civility

This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Public’s Members — listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. As a community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years.

Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are building a better—and more civil—Connecticut to live, work, and play.

Related Content