Pakistan Vows To Arrest Masterminds in Mosque Bombing That Kills 50, Injures 194 After ISIS Takes Responsibility of the Attack

The Islamic State (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for the fatal bombing inside a Peshawar Shia Mosque.

A bomb exploded during Friday prayers, killing at least 56 people and wounding over 200 more. It is one of Pakistan's deadliest strikes. According to an ISIS statement, the attack was carried out by the Islamic State's regional unit, Islamic State Khorasan, or ISIS-K. An Afghan suicide bomber, according to the statement, was responsible for the blast.

ISIS Claims Bombing in Pakistan

At least one gunman on a motorcycle shot two police officers before entering the mosque and detonating what seemed to be a suicide vest, according to investigators. The explosion happened during Friday prayers in a Shia mosque in Peshmerga's Qisa Khwani neighborhood.

Pakistan's Minister of Interior Affairs, Sheikh Rashid, revealed that the intelligence agency did not send a warning or direction indicating that the assault was launched from outside Pakistan. He didn't specify any country or organization. He did, however, claim that it is part of a larger plot to destabilize Pakistan.

The incident took place in Rawalpindi, 190 kilometers to the east, on the first day of a cricket Test match between Pakistan and Australia. Australia's cricket squad is in Pakistan for the first time in 24 years. The Australian squad was apprehensive to come to Pakistan for the bilateral series, but they agreed when Pakistan said it was prepared for "everything."

Officials from the Australian team were keeping a close watch on the situation and interacting with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, according to reports. The Australian squad is now in Islamabad for the Rawalpindi test match, and they will be protected by the president during the visit. The series' remaining games will be held in Lahore and Karachi, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti reported.

The devastation at the mosque, which was buried deep within Peshawar's old city's narrow lanes, was awful. Many of the wounded, according to Asim Khan, a spokeswoman for Peshawar's Lady Reading Hospital, were in severe condition. Hundreds of people were hit by shrapnel, some had limbs removed, and others were hurt by flying debris.

The incident began when an armed assailant opened fire on police near a mosque in Peshawar's old city, according to Peshawar Police Chief Muhammed Ejaz Khan. During the firefight, one police officer was killed and another was injured. After then, the assailant dashed into the mosque and detonated his suicide vest.

According to Moazzam Jah Ansari, the chief police officer for Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province, where Peshawar is the capital, the suicide bomber had attached a strong explosive device to his body, packed with 5 kilos (12 pounds) of explosives.

CCTV video viewed by The Associated Press, the device was disguised behind a thick black shawl that covered much of the attacker's torso. The bomber was seen sprinting along a small lane toward the mosque's entrance. Before entering the mosque, he opened fire on the cops who were guarding it.

A tremendous explosion followed seconds later, and the camera lens was blocked by dust and debris. According to Ansari, the flimsy gadget was jam-packed with ball bearings, a lethal manner of building a bomb that sprays a broader area with fatal missiles. According to Ansari, the high death toll was due to the ball bearings.

Pakistan Vows To Arrest Masterminds of Mosque Attack

Waheed Khan, a local police official, said the explosion happened as worshipers gathered for Friday prayers at the Kucha Risaldar Mosque. There are concerns that the death toll will continue to grow, he continued.

Allama Irshad Hussein Khalil, a famous young Shiite leader, was among the deceased, as was the prayer leader. Ambulance sirens may be heard all around the city, according to the Washington Post.

Officials have pledged to track down and apprehend the perpetrators of a fatal mosque attack in Pakistan, which was claimed by an Islamic State branch. Since last August, when the Afghan Taliban stormed to power and America concluded its 20-year presence in Afghanistan, the Pakistani Taliban has been responsible for the majority of the assaults.

The new Afghan government has no ties to the Pakistan Taliban. They are, however, hiding in Afghanistan, and despite Pakistan's repeated requests for them to be handed over, none have been discovered and expelled.

The Afghan Taliban's opponent, the Islamic State affiliate known as ISIS, has carried out a series of operations against them since gaining control last year. Despite Pakistani security authorities' claims that Islamic State has a limited foothold in the country, Islamic State pledged to carry out further operations in both Pakistan and Afghanistan in a statement claiming credit for the mosque attack, as per Irish Times.