- A bombing at Khadija Al-Kubra mosque on Islamabad’s outskirts killed 31 people and injured at least 169 during Friday prayers
- Witnesses described scenes of chaos, with bodies and wounded lying inside the mosque as rescuers transported victims to hospitals
- Pakistani authorities and leaders condemned the attack, launched investigations, and called for urgent medical assistance and blood donations
A devastating bombing struck the Shiite mosque of Khadija Al-Kubra on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan, during Friday prayers, leaving at least 31 people dead and 169 others injured, officials said.
Police are investigating who wa was behind the explosion, AP reported.
Source: Getty Images
Witnesses described scenes of chaos as worshippers were caught in the blast.
Television footage and social media posts showed rescuers and residents rushing the wounded to nearby hospitals.
Some of the injured were reported in critical condition, raising fears the death toll could rise.
Chaos in Islamabad mosque
Hussain Shah, who was praying in the mosque courtyard, recounted the moment of the attack.
“I immediately thought that some big attack has happened,” he said.
Entering the mosque, he saw bodies on the carpeted floor and people screaming for help. Shah estimated around 30 bodies inside, while many more were wounded.
Source: Getty Images
Authorities have not received a claim of responsibility for the bombing, though suspicion is expected to fall on militant groups such as the Pakistani Taliban or regional affiliates of the Islamic State, which have previously targeted Shiite communities.
Militants in Pakistan often strike security forces and civilians, with recent months seeing a rise in attacks across the country.
Government and leaders respond swiftly
Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Memon updated the casualty numbers shortly after the initial reports. President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and extended condolences to the victims’ families.
“Targeting innocent civilians is a crime against humanity,” Zardari said. Sharif ordered a full investigation, saying, “Those who are responsible must be identified and punished.”
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Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi urged hospitals to provide the best possible care for the wounded. Shiite leader Raja Nasir called the attack a serious failure in protecting human life and appealed for blood donations, noting that hospitals were in urgent need.
The bombing occurred near an event attended by Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Islamabad, several miles from the mosque.
Islamabad has previously suffered major attacks, including a 2008 bombing at the Marriott Hotel that killed 63 people.
The incident comes days after multiple attacks in Balochistan by the outlawed Baloch Liberation Army, which killed roughly 50 people and prompted security forces to eliminate more than 200 militants.
Crane collapses on moving train
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that at least 22 people were feared dead on Wednesday, January 14, after a construction crane collapsed onto a passenger train in northeastern Thailand, triggering a derailment and fire that left dozens injured and disrupted rail services across the region.
The train was travelling from Bangkok to Ubon Ratchathani when the incident occurred around 9:00 am local time in the Sikhio district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, about 230 kilometres from the capital.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng