Ayatollah Sistani Denounces Terrorist Blast in Peshawar Mosque
In a statement late on Friday, it described the incident as a painful tragedy, Al-Alam news network reported.
It expressed condolences to the families of victims and prayed for speedy recovery for those injured in the attack.
The statement strongly condemned the act of terrorism that has targeted Muslim unity and called on the government of Pakistan to take measures to protect people against crimes committed by terrorist groups and prevent their religious gatherings from being brutally attacked by extremist groups.
A massive explosion ripped through the Shia mosque in Pakistan’s northwestern city of Peshawar on Friday, killing at least 56 people and injuring dozens more, according to reports.
The blast took place as worshippers had gathered in the Kucha Risaldar mosque in Peshawar’s old city area for congregational Friday prayers, reports quoted local authorities and eyewitnesses as saying.
Peshawar city’s police chief, Muhammed Ejaz Khan, told reporters that the violence ensued when two armed assailants opened fire on policemen outside the mosque.
In the exchange of fire, one assailant and one policeman were killed and another policeman was wounded. After that, one attacker barged inside the mosque and detonated his explosives.
The Daesh (ISIS or ISIL) terrorist group later claimed responsibility for the attack.
A statement released by Daesh through its Imaq website reads that Friday’s bomb blast was carried out by a Daesh affiliate, Jalabib Al-Kabuli.
