More than a dozen people have been killed and many others wounded in a explosion at a mosque in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, according to officials.
The Peshawar police told Al Jazeera at least 25 people were killed in the blast at least 140 others were injured.
The blast took place at the mosque where a large number of people had gathered for prayer, police official Sikandar Khan told Reuters news agency on Monday.
“A portion of the building had collapsed and several people are believed to be under it,” Khan added.
Al Jazeera’s Kamal Hyder reporting from Islamabad said details were emerging the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber.
“We are also getting details … the suicide bomber himself was sitting in the front row of the congregational prayer inside the mosque,” he added.
A 38-year-old police officer Meena Gul said he was inside the mosque when the bomb went off. He said he doesn’t know how he survived unhurt. He could hear cries and screams after the bomb exploded, he said according to AP news agency.
There were more than 150 worshippers inside the mosque when the bomb went off, Gul added.
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan took to twitter to condemn the attack.
“Strongly condemn the terrorist suicide attack in police lines mosque Peshawar during prayers,” he tweeted.
“It is imperative we improve our intelligence gathering and properly equip our police forces to combat the growing threat of terrorism.”
So far, no group or individual has claimed responsibility in Peshawar, the capital of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan.
Al Jazeera
