Suicide bomber kills 25 in Pakistan mosque

The attacker blew himself when the prayers were in progress at the mosque in the Anbar tehsil of the agency bordering Afghanistan.

"A suicide bomber was in the mosque. He shouted 'Allahu Akbar' and blew himself up," said Assistant Political Agent Naveed Akbar He added that the powerful blast took place around 2pm when the Friday prayers were being offered.

At least 25 people, including five children, were killed in the attack and 30 others injured, Pakistani media reported, citing officials. "Many people were gathered inside the mosque when a suicide bomber blew himself up," an eyewitness said.

Rescue teams and police rushed to the spot. The bodies and the injured are being shifted to local hospitals. The injured, too, were taken to hospitals in Bajaur Agency, Charsadda and Peshawar.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but Pakistani Taliban routinely targets courts, schools and mosques. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has expressed his grief over the loss of lives in the blast. "The cowardly attacks by terrorists cannot shatter the government's resolve to eliminate terrorism from the country," he said in a statement.

The attack came on a day when Sharif vowed to continue the war against militancy and terrorism till elimination of the last terrorist. During a meeting with Army chief General Raheel Sharif on Friday, the Prime Minister expressed the resolve to continue the war against terrorism and militancy.

The army had launched operation 'Zarb-e-Azb' in June 2014 to flush out militant bases in the northwestern tribal areas.