New Delhi – 72 people were killed and 250 critically injured in the town of Sehwan Sharif, Pakistan on Thursday when a ISIS suicide bomber struck at the shrine Sufi saint Lal Shabaz Qalandar.
The bombing is eighth terrorist attack in Pakistan in just five days.
According to the police statement, the attacker entered the shrine through its golden gate and exploded explosives wrapped under his clothes after hurling a grenade that failed to explode. The blast targeted the area where the Sufi ritual ‘dhamaal’ was being performed after evening prayers.
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack on their Aamaq news agency, saying that a suicide bomber had targeted a “Shia gathering” at the shrine.
The injured and dead were moved to a hospital in Sehwan Sharif, following which many were taken to hospitals in Jamshoro and Hyderabad. The death toll is expected to go up as many of the injured are in critical state.
“We have 53 bodies at the hospital and 47 among more than 250 injured are critical,” said Dr Moin, Head of Sehwan hospital.
Pakistan’s army chief, General Qamar Bajwa, said in statement, “Your security forces shall not allow hostile powers to succeed.”
In past few days suicide bombers from the TTP (Tehreek Taliban Pakistan) have targeted various locations of government forces and institutions, killing 13 people in Lahore and at least 2 in Peshawar, Pakistan.
