San Francisco Chronicle

Bomber kills 59 at mosque in Pakistan police compound

- By Riaz Khan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — A suicide bomber struck a crowded mosque inside a police compound in Pakistan on Monday, causing the roof to collapse and killing at least 59 people and wounding more than 150 others, officials said.

Most of the casualties were police officers. It was not clear how the bomber was able to slip into the walled compound, which houses the police headquarte­rs in the northweste­rn city of Peshawar and is located in a high-security zone with other government buildings.

Sarbakaf Mohmand, a commander for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, which is sepduction arate from but a close ally of the Afghan Taliban, claimed responsibi­lity for the attack on Twitter.

But hours later, Mohammad Khurasani, a spokespers­on for TTP, distanced the group from the bombing, saying it was not its policy to target mosques, seminaries and religious places, adding that those taking part in such acts could face punitive action under TTP’s policy. His statement did not address why a TTP commander had claimed responsibi­lity for the bombing.

Pakistan, which is mostly Sunni Muslim, has seen a surge in militant attacks since November, when the Pakistani Taliban ended their cease-fire with government forces.

Earlier this month, in another attack claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, a gunman shot and killed two intelligen­ce officers, including the director of the counterter­rorism wing of the country’s military-based spy agency InterServi­ces Intelligen­ce. Security officials said Monday the gunman was traced and killed in a shootout in the northwest near the Afghan border.

Monday’s assault on a Sunni mosque inside the police facility was one of the deadliest attacks on security forces in recent years.

The TTP has waged an insurgency in Pakistan in the past 15 years, seeking stricter enforcemen­t of Islamic laws, the release of its members in government custody and a rein the Pakistani military presence in areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhw­a province it has long used as its base.

More than 300 worshipers were praying in the mosque, with more approachin­g, when the bomber set off his explosives vest.

Many were injured when the roof came down, according to Zafar Khan, a police officer, and rescuers had to remove mounds of debris to reach worshipers still trapped under the rubble.

Mohammad Asim, a spokespers­on at the main government hospital in Peshawar, put the death toll at 59, with 157 others wounded. Police official Siddique Khan said the bomber blew himself up while among the worshipers.

 ?? Zubair Khan/Associated Press ?? Security officials and rescuers work at the mosque where a suicide bomber killed at least 59 people in Peshawar, Pakistan.
Zubair Khan/Associated Press Security officials and rescuers work at the mosque where a suicide bomber killed at least 59 people in Peshawar, Pakistan.

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