Emerging reports suggest that a suicide bomber has killed about 16 people and wounded 35 others as they attended Friday prayers at a mosque in a northwestern Pakistani tribal area.
Suicide bomb attack kills 16 at mosque in Butmana village.
Officials said the bombing took place in the village of Butmana in the Mohmand tribal district bordering Afghanistan where the army has been fighting against Taliban militants.
“The Friday prayer was in progress at the mosque when a suicide bomber blew himself up killing at least 16 worshippers and wounding 35 others,” a senior tribal administration official said.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but Pakistani Taliban in particular routinely attack soft targets such as courts, schools and mosques.
The army launched an operation in June 2014 in a bid to wipe out armed groups bases in the northwestern tribal areas to bring an end to the insurgency that has cost thousands of civilian lives since 2004.
Rescue teams and police rushed to the spot. The bodies and the injured are being shifted to local hospitals for medical treatment.
Injured were also transported to hospitals in Bajaur Agency, Charsadda and Peshawar for treatment.
The attack came on a day when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed to continue the war against militancy and terrorism till elimination of the last terrorist.
During a meeting with Army chief General Raheel Sharif on Friday, the prime minister expressed the resolve to continue the war against terrorism and militancy.
The army had launched operation ‘Zarb-e-Azb’ in June 2014 to flush out militant bases in the northwestern tribal areas.
Source: naij
