Pakistan

Terrorists attack mosque in Darra Adam Khel

At least 61 people killed in a blast inside a mosque during Friday prayers in Darra Adam Khel.

Afp/hassan Asif/ali Syed November 05, 2010

At least 61 people have been killed in a suspected suicide attack that occurred inside a mosque in the Darra Adam Khel town of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, during Friday prayers.

Casualties

At least 61 people, including 11 children, were killed while more than 100 people have been injured, according to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Mian Iftikhar.

Villagers have started burying the dead in the graveyard in the region.

Nature of blast

According to eye witnesses and latest reports, the explosion that occurred at 1:45pm, was a suicide blast. The attack occurred inside the mosque where around 500 people were gathered for Friday prayers.

The blast reportedly caused the roof of the mosque to cave in, causing further injuries. However, a conflicting eye witness account stated that the roof has not been damaged to such an extent.

Rescue efforts

The injured were shifted to Lady Reading Hospital. The hospital was 52 km away where the injured were taken in private vehicles.

The Pakistan Army and the Frontier Corps had earlier arrived and set up a cordon around the site of the explosion.

Blast site

The blast took place in the Us Kale area of Darra Adam Khel, which has a total population of around 50,000 people and is located adjacent to the FATA region. In a similar blast that occurred in a mosque in Peshawar last month at the time of Friday prayers, five people were killed.

Official statements

According to Senator Haji Razzaq, the blast might have targeted an anti-Taliban tribal elder.

Calling the series of such incidents an undeclared third World War, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa information minister Mian Iftikhar said that it was the responsibility of the United States, Afghanistan and Pakistan to share information with each other in order to combat terrorism adding that there are many regional players involved in this issue.

Senior minister Bashir Bilour said that until peace is achieved in Afghanistan, peace will not be achieved in FATA, and in turn such incidents will not stop in Khyber-Pakhtunkwa. Bilour also referred to the numerous blasts as a an undeclared third World War.

Brigadier (retd) Mehmood Shah talking to Express 24/7 said that he believed this incident was part of last efforts by frustrated groups which were pushed out from the area by the military.

COMMENTS (30)

A concerned Pakistani-Canadian | 14 years ago | Reply @Faraz, that news is for TTP and 'Taliban' is something that is generally considered to be from Afghanistan. Both have agendas antithesis to each other. Taliban are fighting with the local resistance in Afghanistan against the foreign invasion .On other end, TTP is a combination of various groups working with multiple poles of leadership for different objectives which include securing the opium trade routes, providing refuge to foreign fighters and implementation of shariah in the region without any need of verdicts from the clerics. They are not in mainstream with the higher clerics from Pakistan which validates the doubts of foreign powers financing TTP to weaken the Army. On other end the Afghan Taliban have full moral and verbal support of Pakistani clerics.

basharat | 14 years ago | Reply Killing of innocent people while they were worshipping Almighty Allah must be condemned , there can be no justification whatsoever . Such attacks are not allowed even in a state of war . These brutes are not human Wrath of Almighty be unto them.

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faraz | 14 years ago | Reply @jigrota http://www.thenews.com.pk/06-11-2010/Top-Story/1852.htm Taliban often accept attack mosques, shrines and imam bargahs!

jigrota | 14 years ago | Reply @Faraz TTP has accepted responsibility.? source? This was a mosque not some govt. installment...

Zeeshan | 14 years ago | Reply @ faraz stop showing people one side of the picture only and too in a blurry manner Soviet Union had already started creating unrest in your Baluchistan region during 70s before embarking invading Afghanistan.The motive was clear to have an independence movement waged by Baluchis and have it full support from Afghanistan(something happening today as well) Bhutto already felt a need to curb that ingression in 1976 and there was never any point of argument in the establishment on this.Mujhaideen were being trained already during his time which he had given a go ahead for. Mujhaideen kept getting support during the first reign of Bainazir.US officials asked Benazir to convey Hamid gul that that if the Mujhaideen take over Jalalabad , their government would be accepted. So all the people have their part in this game and that includes all democratic governments be cuase this was consideren in * National Interest.*. The only reason you are bashing zia only is because he was in favor of sharia laws. Grow up and start doing some rational thinking. During Nawaz's reign Mujhaideen teamed up with Taliban to drive out poppy growers out of Afghanistan and made the poppy production down to zero. That worked in favor of Pakistan as it was already hit by the heroin culture coming in form there. Have you ever spoke of that ? no because you are not intellectually honest regarding what is in our interst. What happened during 90s was a proxy war between Pakistan/Saudia and Iran to create their influence in Afghanistan. In this battle there were atrocities committed by both sides. Norther Aliiance was no worse than the Hikmatyar who were the two sides in this battle.Have you ever shunned Norther Aliiance equally for what they have done in Afghanistan..No because you dont htink for Afghan people you only think to satisfy your secular taste.

Zeeshan | 14 years ago | Reply @ Ilyas/Amir There werent such suicide attacks against non pashtuns in Afghanistan in 90s Please bring some other excuse. My second question what possible evidence you have that every other suicide attack happening today is done by the the fighters from the 80s There is a big ideological difference between people fighting in Afghanistan and those in Pakistan doesnt matter if both are pashtuns and bearded..that said it doesnt necessarily mean they or their fathers fought in 80s. Furthermore, there are many other non Pashtun (outsider) people operating in Pakistan.Were they made by Zia as well? If today every new group in Pakistan starts proclaiming its allegiance with the name 'Taliban', why is Mullah Omar on record calling not one of them. There were never such suicides attacks, not even in Afghanistan until 2001. So why did they start off Abdullah Shah Masood? Do you even have any idea?

Arijit Sharma | 14 years ago | Reply @Tahir: "What kind of picture of Islam is being projected to the rest of world .... " Tahir, whether you like it or not, Islam is steeped in violence. None other than your Dr. Israr Ahmed has acknowledged this fact - including the fact that Islam WAS spread by the sword, mostly in the areas comprising today's Pakistan.

User | 14 years ago | Reply Public opinion Sad, one more friday and more people killed by state certified ‘Muslims’. When will all this end. Pakistan has become cursed. My God! What has become of our poor motherland! Pray for the soul of Zia ul Haq, who left these Jihadees for us who are exploding themselves like anything! What you sow is what you reap. When groups like Sipah e Sahaaba, Jaishe Mohammad, LeT and many more similar wahabi militant outfits are allowed to function in the name of being strategic assets- these suicide bombings, target killings, kidnappings and beheadings will continue. Pakistani Army Zindabad, ISI Paindabad I don’t know why Pakistani people have problem with drone attacks which is only answer of these suicide attacks and 100% justified against jackals talibans. Horrifying numbers of accumulated Islamist harvest Killing people regardless their religion. India to Russia–Philippines to England–Thailand to New York–Uganda to Nepal–Argentina to China–France to Kenya In all 58 Muslim countries. The world should view the big picture ongoing for the last 90 years. Stop analyzing and dealing with individual cases. Build a compressive strategy to stop by all means the Islamist ideology and supporting countries using terror as a tool. Find and encourage Muslims willing to join the 21 century consensus that accept peacefully all religions and don’t impose by sward any religion, including Islam After Soviet withdrawal, mujahideen faught against Najeebullah from 1988-92. Later, mujahideen faught each other for 4 years. When Hikemetyar failed to deliver Kabul, we financed the taliban which were much more militant than old mujahideen. Taliban took over Kabul and invaded north. They faught mainly non-pushtoons which constitute over 50% population of Afghanistan. They massacred 4000 Shias in Mazar e Sharif and closed down all shrines. Civil war was in progress when Americans invaded in 2001. Infact few months before 9/11, many Afghan groups were preparing for an attack against taliban. Our 2nd category of strategic assets were deployed against Kashmir; these were based in cities of Punjab and Azad Kashmir. A third category consisted of purely sectarian organizations like SSP and LeJ. So please, come out of the state of denial. This is no mere reaction, it is a complicated problem and its roots lie in Zia era. Before 9/11, they faught and died elsewhere, but now the chicken have come home to roost. What kind of picture of Islam is being projected to the rest of world by these so called devoted mujahedeen. Is this the religion which our holly Prophet(s.a.w) has brought for whole human race? Toba toba… the more i read these sort of things the more i think we should become a secular country and remove religion from politics!

Aamir Ali | 14 years ago | Reply @Zeeshan In the 90's they were engaged in Afghan civil war. After 9/11 they fled back into Pakistan and starting war against Pakistani state/people. Get your head out of the sand.

Ilyas Khan | 14 years ago | Reply @ Zeeshan, Mr Zeeshan, in 90's they were busy Islamizing Afghanistan. Now when the Americans pushed them out of their favourite battle field, they found one in Pakistan. Is it so difficult to understand man?

Ali | 14 years ago | Reply Toba toba... the more i read these sort of things the more i think we should become a secular country and remove religion from politics!

Tahir | 14 years ago | Reply What kind of picture of Islam is being projected to the rest of world by these so called devoted mujahedeen. Is this the religion which our holly Prophet(s.a.w) has brought for whole human race?

faraz | 14 years ago | Reply @Zeeshan After Soviet withdrawal, mujahideen faught against Najeebullah from 1988-92. Later, mujahideen faught each other for 4 years. When Hikemetyar failed to deliver Kabul, we financed the taliban which were much more militant than old mujahideen. Taliban took over Kabul and invaded north. They faught mainly non-pushtoons which constitute over 50% population of Afghanistan. They massacred 4000 Shias in Mazar e Sharif and closed down all shrines. Civil war was in progress when Americans invaded in 2001. Infact few months before 911, many Afghan groups were preparing for an attack against taliban. Our 2nd category of strategic assets were deployed against Kashmir; these were based in cities of Punjab and Azad Kashmir. A third category consisted of purely sectarian organizations like SSP and LeJ. So please, come out of the state of denial. This is no mere reaction, it is a complicated problem and its roots lie in Zia era. Before 911, they faught and died elsewhere, but now the chicken have come home to roost.

Ariely | 14 years ago | Reply Horrifying numbers of accumulated Islamist harvest Killing people regardless their religion. 16341 Islamist attacks since 9/11 Islamist worldwide kill summary 616- Oct 675-Sep. 811-Aug. 1060-Jul . 556-Jun . 742-May. From:-- India to Russia--Philippines to England--Thailand to New York--Uganda to Nepal--Argentina to China--France to Kenya- In all 58 Muslim countries. The world should view the big picture ongoing for the last 90 years. Stop analyzing and dealing with individual cases. Build a compressive strategy to stop by all means the Islamist ideology and supporting countries using terror as a tool. Find and encourage Muslims willing to join the 21 century consensus that accept peacefully all religions and don’t impose by sward any religion, including Islam

Mahmood Hussain | 14 years ago | Reply coward taliban using suicide bombers to kill thousand of people.Taliban enjoying monitoring suicide bombing job without risk of their own life ,without losing a bullets. I don't know why Pakistani people have problem with drone attacks which is only answer of these suicide attacks and 100% justified against jackals talibans.

Mohammed Abbasi | 14 years ago | Reply GREAT! On Friday when Muslims pray for the sake/love of Allah - the Mullahs bring death and destruction!

Aamir Ali | 14 years ago | Reply Taliban are killers and this is what they do. What is sad that is Pakisatanis continue to remain in denial and indirectly support the savage Taliban.

Postmodernist | 14 years ago | Reply When groups like Sipah e Sahaaba, Jaishe Mohammad, LeT and many more similar wahabi militant outfits are allowed to function in the name of being strategic assets- these suicide bombings, target killings, kidnappings and beheadings will continue. Pakistani Army Zindabad, ISI Paindabad

Kingdom of Truth | 14 years ago | Reply This is very inhuman act. Kingdom strongly condemns this and all kinds of terrorism. Kingdom thinks strong coordination is needed between Pakistan and US to tackle these problems. Pakistan must seal its border with Afghanistan which prevents infraction of cross border terrorist / arm supply to Pakistan and helps Pakistan’s arm forces to conduct successful operation against terrorist inside Pakistan borders . Kingdom sincerely condoles with friends and family of victims. With lot of prays and Regards Representative Kingdom of Truth

Zeeshan | 14 years ago | Reply @ Rana Amjad If zia made these people where were they during the 90s?

Nadir El-Edroos | 14 years ago | Reply Ahh yes! Our stratefic assets! We tolerate them as one day we can use them as our lackys to control Afghanistan, or we tolerate them here so that we can milk the world for foreign aid. What does the most powerful man in Pakistan have to say about this? Or as long as our "strategic depth" is maintained in Afghanistan, and India is kept at bay the death of Pakistanis is tolerable.

anonymous | 14 years ago | Reply Agreed with Ahsanullah. These are not humans...not at all!

Ahsanullah Mehsud | 14 years ago | Reply who ever have done it is not a human being at all.

Imran Makyana | 14 years ago | Reply Taliban listen! Every such incident will make our nation more strengthen angaist you. We'll root out you and histroy will not get your existence ever.

faraz | 14 years ago | Reply TTP has accepted responsibility. Taliban are ruthlessly murdering the pushtoons but taliban apologists who dont live in FATA, claim that taliban are pushoon nationalists!

Rana Amjad | 14 years ago | Reply Pray for the soul of Zia ul Haq, who left these Jihadees for us who are exploding themselves like anything! What you sow is what you reap.

Erfan Aziz | 14 years ago | Reply Decenterlize the police, put them under full control of the local administration, make them accountable to the courts, and there would be no such unknown bombings.

Usman Ahmad | 14 years ago | Reply My God! What has become of our poor motherland! Pity!

Talha | 14 years ago | Reply Sad, one more friday and more people killed by state certified 'Muslims'. When will all this end, seems that Pakistan has become cursed.

Someone | 14 years ago | Reply This country has gone to the dogs..no further comments

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