A pair of suicide bombers detonated their explosives outside a Christian church in North-Western Pakistan, killing 75 people.
A wing of the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the bombing in the city of Peshawar, saying it would continue to target non-Muslims until the US stopped drone attacks in the country’s remote tribal region.
The latest drone strike came yesterday when missiles hit compounds in the North Waziristan tribal area, killing six suspected militants, Pakistani intelligence officials said.
The attack on the All Saints Church, which also wounded 110 people, underlines the threat posed by the Pakistani Taliban at a time when the government is seeking a peace deal with the militants.
The attack occurred as hundreds of worshippers were coming out of the church in the city’s Kohati Gate district after services to get a free meal of rice offered on the front lawn, said government administrator Sahibzada Anees.
The attack was carried out by a pair of suicide bombers who detonated their explosives almost simultaneously, said police officer Shafqat Malik. Authorities found their body parts and were trying to determine their age, he said.
Ahmad Marwat, who identified himself as the spokesman for the Jundullah wing of the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Jundullah has previously claimed responsibility for attacks on minority Shi’ite Muslims in the South Western Baluchistan province.
The bishop in Peshawar, Sarfarz Hemphray, announced a three-day mourning period in response to the church attack and blamed the government and security agencies for failing to protect the country’s Christians.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack.