Mosque explosion in Pakistan capital kills at least 15 and injures nearly 100

At least 15 people have been k!lled and more than 80 others injured after a powerful explosion struck a mosque in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, on Friday afternoon, local officials and rescue teams said.

The blast occurred inside the Tarlai area of the city during Friday prayers at a packed Shia Muslim mosque. Emergency services, including police and Rescue 1122 personnel, rushed to the scene and began rescue operations, with the injured quickly transported to nearby hospitals.

A statement from local authorities in Islamabad said 15 people were k!lled in the attack at the mosque in the Tarlai area of the city, adding that the ‘number of patients brought to various hospitals has exceeded 80’.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he ‘strongly condemns’ the attack and expressed ‘deep grief’.

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi also condemned the attack and urged authorities to ensure the best possible medical care for the wounded, who were being taken to hospitals across the capital.

No group has so far claimed responsibility, but attention is expected to turn to militant groups such as the Pakistani Taliban or the Islamic State, both of which have previously been linked to attacks on Shiite worshippers, who are a minority in Pakistan.