Islamic State group claims deadly Pakistan mosque bombing

From the New Arab, English language edition

The Islamic State group claimed a suicide bombing that targeted a Shia mosque in the Pakistani city of Peshawar on Friday, killing at least 56 people.

“Today Friday, an Islamic State fighter succeeded in assaulting a Shia mosque in Peshawar,” in northwestern Pakistan, the transnational militant group said on its Amaq propaganda site.

The deadly bombing came on the first day of a cricket Test match in Rawalpindi — around 190 kilometres (120 miles) to the east — between Pakistan and Australia

The Taliban rulers in Afghanistan, who have been fighting IS, condemned the attack. IS has proven to be the Taliban’s greatest security threat since sweeping into power last August.

“We condemn the bombing of a mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan. There is no justification for attacking civilians and worshipers,” Taliban Deputy Minister for Culture and Information Zabihullah Mujahid tweeted. He refused to comment on the IS claim that the suicide bomber was Afghan.

(The) suicide bombing  has killed at least 56 people and wounded 194 others . . . Police and hospital officials said the death toll was expected to rise when 30 deaths were counted earlier on Friday, as many of the injured were in critical condition

Senior police official Ijaz Khan told Reuters that two armed men arrived near the mosque on a motorcycle and were stopped for a search by police on duty outside.

“They opened fire on the police…and entered the mosque,” he said.