Tweet
Lahore : A teenage suicide bomber detonated his explosives near a procession of Shia Muslims in Lahore on Tuesday, killing at least 13 people and injuring 52, health officials said. Zahid Pervez, the head of Mayo Hospital said that the facility had received 13 bodies and 52 injured. “Four policemen and one woman are among the dead.”
The explosion took place when the policemen tried to search a teenager as he was entering an area where hundreds of Shia Muslims had gathered to mark the 40th day of Ashura, that commemorates the seventh-century death of Prophet Mohammed’s grandson Imam Hussain.
Aslam Tareen, the city police chief, said that the suicide bomber was about 14 years old. “Thanks to the policemen who sacrificed their lives, we have averted a major tragedy. Had he detonated among the main procession, the losses could be much higher.” A crying elderly woman who was injured in the attack told Geo television that the explosion occurred right before her eyes.
“I fell down on the ground after the explosion. I could not see or understand what has happened. When I finally got up I saw a cloud of smoke rising from the place of attack,” she said.
Television footage showed a number of cars damaged in the attack and rescue workers were trying to help the victims.
A spokesman of Fidayeen-e-Islam, a group lead by Qari Hussain Ahmad, a trainer of Taliban suicide bombers, claimed responsibility for the attack.
The explosion took place when the policemen tried to search a teenager as he was entering an area where hundreds of Shia Muslims had gathered to mark the 40th day of Ashura, that commemorates the seventh-century death of Prophet Mohammed’s grandson Imam Hussain.
Aslam Tareen, the city police chief, said that the suicide bomber was about 14 years old. “Thanks to the policemen who sacrificed their lives, we have averted a major tragedy. Had he detonated among the main procession, the losses could be much higher.” A crying elderly woman who was injured in the attack told Geo television that the explosion occurred right before her eyes.
“I fell down on the ground after the explosion. I could not see or understand what has happened. When I finally got up I saw a cloud of smoke rising from the place of attack,” she said.
Television footage showed a number of cars damaged in the attack and rescue workers were trying to help the victims.
A spokesman of Fidayeen-e-Islam, a group lead by Qari Hussain Ahmad, a trainer of Taliban suicide bombers, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Comment