Pakistan continues to face what some call a national security crisis.
Recently, in northwestern Pakistan, a suicide bomb resulted in a massacre at a mosque. The body count continues to rise from the horrific incident; now, its at least 100. CNN reports, Police suspect that a suicide bomber used 12 kilograms (26.5 pounds) of explosives, Inspector General of Peshawar Police Moazim Jah Ansari said. The attack left 217 injured, Ansari added..
Nasarullah Khan survived the bomb. He recalls suddenly seeing a burst of flames surrounded by black dust. His foot broke amid the blast, but the ceiling had caved in. Khan reported he was trapped in the rubble for three hours, waiting for help to get him out.
The search for survivors continues, but many are out of hope for the victims that have yet to be found. They continue to dig through the rubble of the buildings. Once gorgeous windows are mere shards of glass, the paneling is now pieces on the ground. However, the people they are finding now are dead. CNN says, We are not expecting anyone alive to be found. Mostly dead bodies are being recovered, Bilal Faizi, a rescue spokesperson, said Tuesday.
Last year saw a year-long cease-fire between the Pakistan government and TTP, a foreign terrorist organization according to the United States, come to an end. This saw a rapid increase in violence and has resulted in more tension between Afghan and Pakistan.
First, the TTP claimed that they were behind the blast. According to CNN, Initially on Monday, TTP officials Sarbakaf Mohmand and Omar Mukaram Khurasani had claimed the blast was revenge for the death of TTP militant Khalid Khorasani last year.
However, a spokesperson for the TTP denied that in a statement Monday evening. He claims that any actions at a mosque or other sacred place, such as a funeral, is an offense, which is not something they do.
Some say that the attack at a mosque proves that the person or group behind the attack has nothing to do with Islam. According to Madlha Afzal, the withdrawal from the United States has made terrorist groups in the Afghan region bold and encouraged increased violence.
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