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BBC: Attack on mosque in north-west Pakistan ‘kills 45’

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At least 45 people have been killed and nearly 100 injured in a suicide bomb attack on a mosque in north-west Pakistan, local officials say.

The attack took place during Friday prayers in the Darra Adam Khel area, near Pakistan’s tribal regions.

The roof of the mosque had caved in and the death toll was likely to rise, officials say.

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It was not immediately clear who carried out the attack, the latest in a series of mosque and shrine bombings.

The Pakistani Taliban have claimed responsibility for such attacks in the past and have been active in the Darra area.

Witnesses contacted by the BBC said the bomber was on foot. He blew himself up at the main gate of the mosque after Friday prayers had ended and worshippers were coming out of the mosque.

“We fear there might be more casualties in the debris,” one official said. Some of the injured are in a critical condition.

Taliban opponent

The target could have been a tribal elder who had encouraged people to take a stand against the Taliban, according to one report. It is not clear whether he was among the victims.

The wounded have been taken to nearby hospitals.

The mosque is in the village of Akhurwal, about 45km (30 miles) south of Peshawar.

The Darra region links up with Orakzai and Khyber tribal regions in the west and has served as a convenient base for militants attacking Nato supply convoys as well as Shia commuters from Kurram.

Last month 25 people were killed in a blast at a shrine in Punjab province. Another attack at a Karachi shrine killed nine and was claimed by the Taliban.

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Muslim American born in Brooklyn, NY with Guyanese parents currently living in Virginia working full-time as a web developer.

7 Comments

7 Comments

  1. Umar

    November 5, 2010 at 9:38 AM

    Every few days another of these bomb blasts make the news.

    What is the psychology of the bomber. What does he think he would achieve killing innocent civilians?

    Any ideas/ answers?

    Reply

    • Amad

      November 5, 2010 at 10:07 AM

      khawarij mentality… yasir qadhi had a recent post that helped shed some light on the western muslim radicalism… but i think a lot of that applies in these…

      Reply

      • Mansoor Ansari

        November 5, 2010 at 11:07 AM

        Well this attacks seems to be ‘political’ as it on their opponent? And while we r quick to put the label of khawarij on these perpetrators of such attacks, aren’t mainstream non-barelwis ulema also not responsible for this? Time & again we keep hearing from that them that these barelwis r mushrik but then when such attacks happen they become Muslims?

        May b first the verbal hate needs to stop from those whom we consider moderates!

        Reply

  2. Idiocy will lead to mankinds downfall...or not

    November 6, 2010 at 8:26 PM

    So now the taliban is declaring jihad against Muslims?

    Reply

  3. Zuhayr

    November 6, 2010 at 9:10 PM

    how can you sell your cause as for islam when you are killing muslims and destroying mosques?

    Reply

  4. Abu Umar

    November 8, 2010 at 5:06 PM

    Assalam ‘Alaikum,

    May Allah (swt) have mercy on the victims of these evil acts. On the one hand, there are the murderous drones wreaking death and destruction from the skies and then these terrorist acts that target the houses of Allaah (swt) and unlawfully shed the blood of young and old. If this is not fitnah, then I don’t know of a bigger fitnah. It is as if the same fitnah repeats itself again and again (Egypt, Algeria, Iraq, Pakistan etc. etc.). Muslim blood has become so cheap nowadays. Our enemies, the Crusaders and their puppets, are invading our lands and murdering our people, whereas misguided people from our own Ummah (brainwashed or likely under the direction of foreign agencies) are carrying out illegitimate and unlawful acts that perpetuate the vicious cycle of violence. La hawla wa la quwwata ill billah.

    O Allah, have mercy on our people and guide them for they have erred. O Allah, you have punished them with trials and tribulations, floods and war and evil rulers, yet most prefer to remain asleep and refuse to abandon their evil ways. O Allah, do not punish us for what the fools among us have done. O Allah, we beg you to have mercy on the Ummah of Muhammad (saw). Ameen.

    Reply

  5. CMIYC

    November 9, 2010 at 7:58 AM

    The CIA and Black water are doing these bombings. Funny how there were never bombings of Mosque in Pakistan, Iraq or Afghanistan until the US arrived.

    Wake up! The mujhideen would never do this. However the US would do such a thing and then frame the Mujahideen so they will loose support among Muslims.

    Reply

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