48 killed in Jamrud suicide mosque attack

At least 48 worshippers were killed and over 80 injured when a suicide bomber ripped a Friday congregation in a mosque in Jamrud, Khyber Agency, sources in political administration and hospitals said. The suicide bomber blew himself up as the Imam (prayer leader) of Madina Mosque in Sherbaz Madokhel in Ghundai area of Tehsil Jamrud, Khyber Agency, started the prayers with Allah-o-Akbar (God is Great), killing 48 people of all ages, including men and children, and injuring 85 others.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Information Iftikhar Hussein said the initial evidence showed that it was an unfortunate suicide bombing by the militants targeting the innocent worshippers. At the time of the blast, the mosque was packed with worshippers and witnesses said that around 300/400 people were in the mosque when the bomber detonated explosive material wrapped on his body in the gathering.
Independent sources said that 50 people died in the blast and over 100 were wounded, mostly seriously. The human flesh was seen scattered and blood splashed all around the mosque. The dead belonged to Kokikhel tribe of Afridi clan. The Kokikhel tribe has recently formed a 'Lashkar' (anti-Taliban militia) against growing militancy in their area. The Taliban frequently attack the tribal Lashkar, who are supported by government.
rescuers retrieved the bodies and injured from the mosque shifted them to Tehsil Headquarter Hospital Jamrud, Hayatabad Medical Complex, and Khyber Teaching Hospital. Emergency was declared in Peshawar's main hospitals where condition of most of the patient was declared unstable and doctors called for blood donations.
Medical Superintendent, Jamrud Hospital, Dr Abdul Qadous said that 50 injured had been brought to the hospital from where some of the critical injured were shifted to KTH, Peshawar. The bang of explosion was heard at long distance, which created terror among people.
KP Governor Masaud Kausar and Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan strongly condemned the suicide bombing at the mosque, saying that it would not deter government's resolve of eliminating terrorism and militancy from the country. Meanwhile, Iftikhar said that the growing trend of terrorism has international phenomenon as the problem could not be resolved unless the regional powers plus USA removed the atmosphere of mistrust and lack of confidence among them for permanent resolution of the problem.
Talking to journalists after the attack, the minister reiterated that regional stakeholders including Pakistan and Afghanistan and USA should take solid measures for promoting confidence building measures for diagnosing the disease which has badly ruined peace in the region. We can only minimise intensity of the terrorism but it is very difficult to finish it off permanently, he added.