Friday massacre at mosque: suicide attack kills 50 in Pakistan

Part of the mosque’s ceiling collapsed and many people were buried under the debris,officials said.

At least 50 people were killed and 80 others were injured,officials told the media.

The death toll could rise as many of the injured are in a critical condition,Kohat district administration chief Shahidullah Khan said.

Officials said the bomber was a youth aged about 17 or 18 years who managed to enter the mosque,located near the ‘hujra’ (guesthouse) of pro-government tribal elder Malik Wali Khan.

Official Shahidullah Khan said authorities received warnings about such attacks almost on a daily basis.

Kohat Commissioner Khalid Umarzai too told the media that authorities were expecting such attacks due to operations being conducted by security forces against the Taliban in Darra Adam Khel and nearby tribal areas.

The local chapter of the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attack.

Officials said the bomber wanted to target pro-government tribesmen.

Tribal elder Malik Wali Khan had formed a ‘lashkar’ or anti-Taliban militia in 2008 to crush militants in the area.

However,he later agreed to patch up with the rebels after making a payment to the Taliban,sources said.

Khan then shifted to Lahore and began living there.

Witnesses said the blast occurred as the Imam was delivering the sermon to worshippers sitting in rows.

They said they had seen blood and human flesh spattered all over the mosque.

Officials said the bomber’s suicide vest contained 10 to 15 kg of explosives.

Many of the bodies and injured were taken to the state-run Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar,where authorities declared an emergency.

Officials at the hospital said two children were among the bodies they had received.

Several children were also among the injured,they said.