CCTV footage shows two handlers escorted Peshawar suicide bomber

At least 63 people lost their lives as a result of attack on imambargah in Peshawar on Friday

The suicide bomber who blew up a Shia mosque in Peshawar resulting in the death of over 60 mosque-goers was accompanied by two handlers who escorted him to the mosque, according to CCTV footage released on Sunday.

The suicide bomber dressed in dark clothes and his facilitators stopped near Kocha-e-Risaldar where the mosque was located. The facilitators, at a distance from the attacker, called the bomber back and talked to him for a little bit before heading towards Kohati Chowk.

After a while, the suicide bomber came back alone and proceeded to the mosque to carry out the bombing.

Hours after the incident, the CTD had said a suicide bomber and his two handlers had entered the provincial capital via Namak Mandi and then headed towards Kocha Risaldar area using Kohati Gate to reach near the imambargah in a rickshaw.

At least 63 people were killed and nearly 200 others injured in the suicide attack.

Read: Three Peshawar attackers identified as death toll hits 63

The Islamic State in a statement had claimed responsibility for the deadly bomb blast. It had said the attack had killed at least 50 and injured more than 200 people.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Inspector General of Police Moazzam Jah Ansari had said: “Five kilogrammes of explosives with 150 ball bearings were used in the [suicide] attack.”

Giving details, he had said “a suicide bomber opened fire on [two] police personnel – his first target – deputed at [the gate of] the mosque and then ran into the mosque blowing himself up in the third row of worshippers.”

On Saturday, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid had claimed that three attackers had been identified in the bombing at the imambargah in the city’s Kocha Risaldar area that injured nearly 200 others.

The interior minister had said the K-P police and investigation agencies had carried out an “excellent” job and had identified the assailants soon after the horrific attack.

"Police will get to the accused in a day or two, but we have totally identified them," he had added.