Peshawar mosque bomb blast: Officials arrest 17 suspects; check details
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the suicide attack, saying it was part of a revenge attack for slain TTP commander Umar Khalid Khurasani who was killed in Afghanistan in August last year.
FollowPakistan's security agencies arrested as many as 17 suspects in connection with the suicide blast in a high-security zone mosque in Peshawar that killed 101 people, including 97 policemen, as Army chief Gen Asim Munir vowed zero tolerance for terror groups and directed his generals to eliminate the threat of militancy.
A Taliban suicide bomber who was present in the front row during the Zuhr (afternoon) prayers on Monday blew himself up, causing the roof to collapse on the worshippers.
Also read:Â Peshawar mosque attack: TTP claims responsibility; death toll touches 90, over 150 injured
Quoting sources, news agency PTI said that the security agencies have arrested 17 suspects involved in the devastating blast - deadliest attack on the security personnel in decades in Pakistan. The arrests have been made from close vicinity of the Police Lines area and the suspects were shifted to the interrogation cell for investigation.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the suicide attack, saying it was part of a revenge attack for slain TTP commander Umar Khalid Khurasani who was killed in Afghanistan in August last year.
The development comes as Pakistan's top generals vowed that perpetrators will be brought to exemplary justice. General Munir, who presided over the 255th Corps Commanders' Conference held at general headquarters in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, said that the military was determined to eliminate the threat of militancy from the country.
Also read:Â Over 25 killed, 120 injured in suicide blast at mosque in Pakistan's Peshawar
The army chief referred to the Peshawar mosque attack and said that "such immoral and cowardly acts cannot shake the resolve of the nation rather reinvigorate our determination to succeed in ongoing war against terror with zero tolerance for any terrorist entity," according to a statement issued by the army.
General Munir, who on Monday was in Peshawar along with Prime Minister Shebhaz Sharif following the suicide bombing, "directed all commanders to continue focus on anti-terrorism operations in coordination with intelligence and law enforcement agencies with renewed resolve till the time we achieve sustainable peace," the statement said.
(With inputs from PTI)
