A blast ripped through a mosque in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Hangu, local officials confirmed Friday, leaving three dead and 12 injured.
The incident occurred within the walls of Police Station Doaba during the sermon for Friday prayers – a time when hundreds of Muslims gather at a mosque for their weekly prayer.
Hangu District Police Officer Nisar Ahmed claimed 30-40 people were trapped in the rubble after the blast damaged the mosque’s structure, and an operation was underway to rescue them.
He added the 12 rescued persons had been taken to a local hospital.
Taking notice, caretaker Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Azam Khan urged officials to declare an emergency in all city hospitals as he demanded a report on the incident from law enforcement.