Terrorists attack mosque in Darra Adam Khel; 70 Killed

Workers clean the blood from the floors of a mosque after a suicide blast in Akhurwall village, part of the semi-tribal northwest area of Darra Adam Khel. PHOTO: AFP Injured arriving at Lady Reading Hospital after a blast in Darra Adam Khel in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

At least 50 people have been killed in a suspected suicide attack that occurred inside a mosque in the Darra Adam Khel town of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, during Friday prayers.

Casualties

At least 50 people, including three children, have been killed while more than 100 people have been injured, according to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Mian Iftikhar.

Villagers have started burying the dead in the graveyard in the region.

Nature of blast

According to eye witnesses and latest reports, the explosion that occurred at 1:45pm, was a suicide blast. The attack occurred inside the mosque where around 500 people were gathered for Friday prayers.

The blast reportedly caused the roof of the mosque to cave in, causing further injuries. However, a conflicting eye witness account stated that the roof has not been damaged to such an extent.

Rescue efforts

The injured were shifted to Lady Reading Hospital. The hospital was 52 km away where the injured were taken in private vehicles.

The Pakistan Army and the Frontier Corps had earlier arrived and set up a cordon around the site of the explosion.

Blast site

The blast took place in the Us Kale area of Darra Adam Khel, which has a total population of around 50,000 people and is located adjacent to the FATA region. In a similar blast that occurred in a mosque in Peshawar last month at the time of Friday prayers, five people were killed.

Official statements

According to Senator Haji Razzaq, the blast might have targeted an anti-Taliban tribal elder.

Calling the series of such incidents an undeclared third World War, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa information minister Mian Iftikhar said that it was the responsibility of the United States, Afghanistan and Pakistan to share information with each other in order to combat terrorism adding that there are many regional players involved in this issue.

Senior minister Bashir Bilour said that until peace is achieved in Afghanistan, peace will not be achieved in FATA, and in turn such incidents will not stop in Khyber-Pakhtunkwa. Bilour also referred to the numerous blasts as a an undeclared third World War.

Brigadier (retd) Mehmood Shah talking to Express 24/7 said that he believed this incident was part of last efforts by frustrated groups which were pushed out from the area by the military.