Curfew imposed in Mohmand day after suicide attack kills 28

Curfew comes a day after at least 28 people were killed while another 31 injured in a blast inside a local mosque

PESHAWAR: A curfew was imposed in Mohmand Agency’s Anbar tehsil following Friday's suicide attack in a mosque.

The curfew came a day after at least 28 people were killed while another 31 injured in a blast inside a local mosque in Mohmand Agency during Friday prayers. "A search operation is underway," a senior political administration official told The Express Tribune.



"Security officials will conduct an operation in the area," he said. While the official refused to give further details, sources claimed that officials have recovered remains of the suspected suicide bomber.

“The bombing took place in Payi Khan village located in Anbar tehsil of Mohmand Agency,” Assistant Political Agent Naveed Akbar, told The Express Tribune. “It was a suicide attack,” he said. “Witnesses and survivors say someone shouted Allah-o-Akbar and then a huge explosion went off.”

“The bomber stood in the last row of worshippers in the packed mosque,” an investigator said. “Most of the casualties are youngsters who stood in the back rows,” he said on condition of anonymity. Akbar confirmed the victims were mostly teenagers and children.

Jamshed Mohmand, a resident of the village adjacent to Payi Khan, said he rushed to the mosque as soon as he heard the explosion. “The roof of the prayer hall and the veranda had collapsed. There were body parts strewn everywhere and many people were pinned beneath the rubble,” he said.



Locals provided most of the initial assistance to victims till security personnel arrived and cordoned off the area. “I brought my pick-up truck, loaded three wounded and drove them to the hospital in Khar, the headquarters of neighbouring Bajaur Agency” said Shireen Zada, a resident who had prayed at another mosque nearby.

Only one victim was shifted to Agency Headquarters Hospital in Ghallanai, he added. Seven injured were airlifted to Peshawar for treatment of their critical wounds, the agency surgeon at the hospital in Khar told The Express Tribune. Of the casualties his hospital received, eight were younger than 10 years old while 10 were in their teens.

According to locals, those who died in the blast included six members of a family.