Handlers fled after escorting bomber

Attacker had walked to the target from Kohati Gate

PESHAWAR:

New CCTV footage obtained by investigation teams of Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in the Kocha Risaldar attack case reveals that the suicide bomber talked to his two facilitators before the attack who could be seen escorting him to some distance.

“Once the two handlers and the bomber separated but the handlers called him back, talked to him, probably instructed him and then after checking time in the wristwatch motioned the bomber to go,” said a police officer while talking to The Express Tribune.

“They talked at Kohati Gate and then separated after which the bomber walked to Kocha Risaldar. They reached in an auto-rikshaw and were dropped at Kohati Gate. In the CCTV footage the handlers could be seen on the one side of the road while the attacker is on the opposite side,” he added. “The bomber was sent towards the mosque and handlers or facilitators escaped,” he said.

Police claimed that the network of facilitators has successfully been busted and identified. They said that the identity of the suicide bomber has also been established who is an Afghan national whose family has been living in Peshawar since long.

“The family members of the bombers have been arrested and they told police that he was missing for a long time and they had no idea about his whereabouts,” he said.

On Friday the suicide attack at Kocha Risaldar mosque left 63 dead and dozens more injured.

The attack is the biggest sectarian-motivated incident of its kind in the history of the city. In the past two other imambargah in Chamkani and Hayatabad were attacked by suicide bombers but the death toll was comparatively low.

In recent months attacks at police have also intensified. Several policemen have lost their lives in targeted attacks including firing, deadly ambushes and IED attacks.

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.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 7^th, 2022.