Hangu mosque bombing
Date29 September 2023
VenueMosque in Hangu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
LocationDoaba, Hangu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Coordinates33°25′35″N 70°44′25″E / 33.42639°N 70.74028°E / 33.42639; 70.74028
TypeSuicide bombing
CauseExplosive belt
Deaths5
Non-fatal injuries5-12
Property damageMosque collapsed

On 29 September 2023, a bomb exploded inside a mosque during Friday prayers in Doaba, Hangu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The blast killed five people and injured six others. The attack occurred hours after a similar attack on a religious procession in Mastung in neighboring Balochistan Province that killed at least 50 people.[1]

Attack

A vehicle filled with explosives was stopped at the entrance of a mosque in Hangu. One of the attackers was stopped at the gate as they attempted to enter the mosque, is located within a police facility, and was unable to carry out their plan. This bombing was carried out a few hours after a similar attack in Mastung District of Balochistan.[2] The mosque was crowded with approximately 30 to 40 worshippers at the time of the blast.[3][4][5]

Police said two men on bikes started shooting at police personnel outside the mosque, after which one of them detonated an explosive close to the mosque’s entrance, while the other blew himself up inside the building.[6]

Casualties

The blast killed five people and critically injured six others. Several others were trapped after the mosque's roof collapsed due to the force of the explosion. Most worshippers managed to escape after hearing the first explosion.[1] The District Police Officer (DPO) of the city confirmed that the explosion occurred within the jurisdiction of the Doaba police station.[7]

Response

Immediately following the incident, a rapid and extensive rescue operation was launched.[4] The critically injured victims were promptly transported to nearby hospitals to receive urgent medical treatment and care.[6]

Investigation

Officials are looking into what happened. Currently, no specific group has acknowledged carrying out the attack.[6] Amir Rana, director of the Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies, said the Mastung and Hangu mosque bombings appeared to be the work of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).[8]

Reactions

The Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan denied involvement in the blast.[1] Raja Pervez Ashraf, the speaker of the National Assembly, condemned the attack.[9]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Hussain, Abid (September 29, 2023). "At least five killed as another blast hits Pakistan on prophet's birthday". Aljazeera.
  2. ↑ "Blast in Pakistan's Balochistan kills at least 50". 29 September 2023.
  3. ↑ "Three worshippers martyred in Hangu mosque blast". Samaa TV. September 29, 2023.
  4. 1 2 "2 dead, five injured as blast rips through Hangu mosque". The Nation. September 29, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Blast rips through mosque in Hangu police station". The Express Tribune. September 29, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 "At least 52 killed after blast rips through a religious procession in restive southwest Pakistan". CNN. 29 September 2023.
  7. ↑ "Suicide blast inside Hangu mosque kills 4, injures around 12". www.thenews.com.pk.
  8. ↑ Baloch, Shah Meer; Beaumont, Peter (2023-09-29). "At least 59 people killed in twin attacks on mosques in Pakistan". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  9. ↑ Desk, NNPS (2023-09-29). "NA speaker condemns Hangu mosque blast". Retrieved 2023-09-29.
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