Pakistani authorities reported Tuesday that 90 people have been killed and more than a hundred wounded in a new death toll after the suicide bombing allegedly perpetrated by Tehrik e Taliban Pakistan (TTP), known as the Pakistani Taliban, inside the Police Lines mosque in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, capital of the province of Jiber Pakhtunkhwa (north).
Thus, 221 people were wounded and were taken to hospitals, while about a hundred remain under treatment and the rest have been discharged, reported Radio Pakistan.
At least ten of the injured are in serious condition, according to DPA news agency.
The emergency services have reported this new balance, after recovering several dozen bodies from the rubble of the mosque, as reported by the Pakistani television channel Geo TV.
However, hours later, the TPP denied any connection with the suicide bombing, in a «clarification», after two of its commanders claimed responsibility for the act, as reported by Rita Katz, director of SITE Intelligence Group, an organization specialized in tracking terrorist groups.
However, the country’s authorities do not rule out that the figure may increase, due to the seriousness of some of the wounded and the fact that there are still people buried under the rubble of the building.
The Minister of the region, Mohamed Azam Jan, announced Tuesday a day of mourning in the province after the attack, so the national flag will be at half mast and added that «the government shares the grief of the families».
Peshawar police chief Ejaz Jan said Monday that it is not known how many people are trapped in the rubble of the mosque, located near the main police station. «We are focused on the rescue operation,» he said.
The dead include the mosque’s imam, Sahibzada Nurulamin, according to police. The suicide bomber had stood in the front row during the midday prayer at the mosque before setting off the explosive charge he was carrying, after which the TTP released a statement on its propaganda channels claiming he was a member of the group.
The explosion occurred in the prayer hall, the main room of the mosque, which had a capacity of about 250 to 300 people. Following the attack, the provincial Health Department declared a «medical emergency» and called on all health workers to remain on alert to deal with the large number of victims.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
