Islamabad: Unidentified militants attacked a Shiite mosque in Pakistan’s restive northwest during Friday prayers, killing at least 18 worshippers and injured 60 others, police said.
The mosque was targeted in Hayatabad area of Peshawar, capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. At least three explosions and gunfire was heard.
According to local media, it was a suicide attack. Terrorists arrived wearing uniform of security forces, hurled hand grenades at people inside the mosque.
There were also reports that some militants were still in the mosque and are still exchanging fire with security forces. The attack is a reminiscent of Peshawar school attack of Dec 16 that killed at least 150 people including 136 students. All the hospitals on high alert after the blast
Late last month, at least 61 people, including children, were killed in a suicide bombing during Friday prayers at a packed minority Shia mosque in Pakistan’s Sindh province, the deadliest sectarian attack to hit the country in recent times.
