AdSense Advertisement

Two killed, including child, in blast outside mosque in northwestern Pakistan

By The South Asia Times

PESHAWAR, Pakistan - Two people, including an eight-year-old girl, were killed and five others injured in an explosion outside a mosque during Friday prayers in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, police said.

The incident occurred in the remote village of Khairo Khel Pakka in Lakki Marwat district as worshippers gathered for weekly prayers.

According to police sources, a man riding a motorcycle and suspected of planning a suicide attack approached the mosque around prayer time. Local residents reportedly became suspicious and opened fire on the rider before he could reach the mosque.

The suicide bomber was killed on the spot, while explosives attached to the motorcycle detonated, causing casualties among people nearby. An eight-year-old girl and a young man were killed in the blast, while five others sustained injuries.

Rescue teams rushed to the scene and transported the dead and injured to the District Headquarters Hospital for treatment.

Police and security personnel later cordoned off the area and launched an investigation into the incident. Authorities have not yet officially identified the suspected attacker or determined whether he was acting alone.

Lakki Marwat, located in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has experienced frequent militant violence in recent years, with attacks often targeting security forces, police personnel and public places.