An apparent suicide attack at a Shia mosque in Islamabad has killed at least 31 people and wounded dozens more, in one of the worst such incidents to hit Pakistan’s capital.
The powerful explosion occurred at Khadija Tul Kubra mosque, in southeastern Islamabad’s Tarlai Kalan area, during Friday prayers. A senior police official told Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity that the explosion appeared to be a suicide attack, but the conclusive cause is yet to be determined.
“Our team is present at the site, and we’re in the process of confirming the cause,” he said. A security source told AFP news agency on condition of anonymity that the attacker detonated himself after being stopped at the gate of the mosque. In a statement, the Islamabad administration said 169 people were transferred to the hospital after rescue teams reached the site of the explosion.