Suicide bombing kills 40 in Dir mosque

[Naveed Yaseen]

* Over 70 injured as suicide bomber rips through worshippers in Hayagai Sharqai village of Upper Dir during Friday prayers
* Toll likely to rise as several people trapped under debris of severely damaged mosque

LOWER DIR: At least 40 people were killed and another 70 injured on Friday when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a mosque in Hayagai Sharqai village in Upper Dir district, sources said.

The sources said the mosque is located around 40 kilometres from Dir Proper on the Dir-Sheringal Road. The area is on the outskirts of the district and is only accessible by an unpaved dirt road.

The bomber blew himself up near the entrance when people were leaving the mosque after offering Friday prayers, the sources said, adding that the attack could be a retaliation by terrorists who were earlier driven out of the area by local residents. No organisation has so far claimed responsibility.

Malik Naveed Khan, the NWFP police chief, told AFP that the death toll could rise.

“We fear the death toll may rise to 45 because people are still trapped under the debris. Rescue work is under way,” Atifur Rehman, the top government official in Upper Dir, told AFP over telephone.

Rehman said the bomber entered the mosque shortly before prayers.

“While he was trying to enter the crowd some people became suspicious and tried to overpower him. During the scuffle he blew himself up,” Rehman said. He said the mosque was “severely damaged”.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani strongly condemned the suicide attack, saying the government would take all measures to establish the writ of the government, APP reported.

Zardari termed the bombing “horrendous”, while Gilani said the government was committed to restoring peace and addressing the issue of militancy.

NWFP Governor Owais Ghani, Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also strongly condemned the suicide attack. abdullah madani/agencies

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...2009_pg1_3