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Suicide bomber kills 31 in Shi’ite mosque in Pakistan’s capital
A suicide bomber killed at least 31 people and wounded nearly 170 others during Friday prayers at a Shi’ite Muslim mosque in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, Reuters reported, citing police and government officials.
Images from the site showed bloodied bodies lying on the carpeted mosque floor surrounded by shards of glass, debris and panicked worshippers.
Dozens more wounded were lying in the gardens of the Khadija Tul Kubra Imambargah, in a semi-urban area on the outskirts of Islamabad, as people called for help.
Bombings are rare in the heavily guarded capital, although Pakistan has been hit by a rising wave of militancy in the past few years.
“The death toll in the blast has risen. A total of 31 people have lost their lives. The number of wounded brought to hospitals has risen to 169,” Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Irfan Memon said in a statement.
Two police officials said the attacker was stopped at the gate of the mosque before detonating the bomb. They asked not to be identified as they were not authorized to speak to the media.