At least 25 killed in grenade attack on mosque in Pakistan

At least 25 people were killed and more than 50 others injured Wednesday when some unidentified persons threw hand grenades in a mosque during evening prayers at Banai in Maskeni area of Dir Lower district in Pakistan’s troubled North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

Eyewitness said that several of the injured were in a critical condition and death toll might go up. They said the victims also included children.

A resident of the area said three grenades were thrown in the mosque when people were offering ‘Travih’ — special prayers after in the evening during the holy month of Ramadan. They said the injured were rushed to hospital at Timergara, headquarters of Dir Lower district.

District Police Officer Fida Hussain said from the District Headquarters Hospital, Timergara, they were facing difficulty in getting information from the far-flung mountainous area. Confirming death of 12 persons, he quoted the injured as saying that firing followed the grenade blasts.

The area where the incident occurred shares border with the war-ravaged Afghanistan and the restive Bajaur Agency where the Pakistani security forces have launched an operation against militants.

After the operation was launched in Bajaur Agency, militants slipped into Akakhel area of Dir Lower district but a local tribal council forced them to leave the area. An active member of the tribal council, Mehmood Jan, was later killed along with his son. It is believed he was killed by militants for opposing them.

No militant group has so far claimed responsibility for the attack.