The Pakistani police announced on Monday evening that the death toll from the suicide bombing that took place inside a mosque near one of its headquarters in the city of Peshawar (northwest of the country) had been claimed by the Pakistani Taliban.

The police said that the death toll rose to 61 dead and 157 wounded, and a medical source confirmed the new toll, indicating that dozens of injured people are still receiving treatment in a number of hospitals in the city, which is the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

The Pakistani police indicated that the mosque is located near a residential complex for its members, and there were about 260 people at the time of the explosion.

While a medical official stated that most of the dead in the explosion were policemen.

Searches continued for survivors trapped under the rubble until this evening, and activists on social media reported that some of the trapped survivors were pulled out alive.

Rescue 1122 is a skill that has the power to start a month-long period of time, as a police officer, without any problems.


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- Akhtar Jamal (@AkhtarActivist) January 30, 2023

Al-Jazeera correspondent said that the Pakistani Taliban claimed - in a tweet on Twitter - responsibility for the attack.

The movement said that the attack came in response to the assassination of its former leader, Khaled al-Khorasani, threatening more attacks.

While the Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif confirmed that the explosion was caused by a suicide attack.

Following the blast, the Islamabad Metropolitan Police raised the security alert.

Funeral prayers for victims of #Peshawarblast offered.

Senior military, police and government officials including Corps Commander Peshawar attended the funeral prayer.

pic.twitter.com/qJlK2NbvKf

- Farzana Shah (@Jana_Shah) January 30, 2023

Attacker in the first row

Security officials said that the bomber was present in the front row during the prayer when he blew himself up, which led to many casualties among those present who were performing the noon prayer.

An eyewitness told local Geo TV news station that the explosion "took place during prayer. A two-storey building collapsed," saying he was just outside the mosque when the blast occurred.

Footage broadcast by state broadcaster PTV showed police and some residents rushing to remove rubble and debris, carrying injured people on their shoulders.

In his first reaction to the attack, the Pakistani Prime Minister strongly condemned the suicide bombing, saying that "the terrorists wanted to create panic by targeting those who protect the country," and promised support to the provinces to build their capacities against terrorism.

Former Prime Minister Imran Khan also strongly condemned what he described as the terrorist attack in the Peshawar mosque while praying.

The attack comes at a time when the Pakistani Taliban escalated its bombings in Pakistan, after the efforts of peaceful talks and a cease-fire between them and the government failed.