Suicide Bombing at Islamabad Shia Mosque Kills 31, Injures 169; ISIS Claims Responsibility

The death toll from a suicide bombing claimed by the Islamic State group (ISIS) at a Shia mosque in Islamabad has reached 31, with 169 people injured.

Officials confirmed the incident, estimating that the death toll could rise further as many of the injured are in critical condition.

The explosion occurred while mosques across the country were filled with worshippers offering prayers, AFP reported, citing a security source.

According to SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist communications, ISIS stated that the attack targeted the congregation, resulting in significant casualties.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pledged to investigate those involved in the bombing and bring them to justice.

Previously, in September 2008, a suicide truck bomb attack partially destroyed the five-star Marriott Hotel, killing 60 people.

Videos have emerged showing doctors and onlookers helping to remove blood-soaked victims from ambulances and vehicles, while friends and relatives of the injured rushed to meet them.

AFP showed another team rescuing blood-soaked individuals by armed security forces outside the mosque.

A video circulated on social media showed several bodies near the front gate of the mosque, with people and debris scattered across the prayer hall, which was covered in a red carpet.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar called the attack a "heinous crime against humanity and a blatant violation of Islamic principles," adding via a post on social media platform X that Pakistan stands united against all forms of terrorism.

According to his spokesperson, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that attacks against civilians and places of worship are unacceptable.

This attack comes as Pakistan's security forces intensify their crackdown on insurgency in the southern and northern provinces bordering Afghanistan amid a growing rebellion.

In Sunni-majority Pakistan, Shias constitute between 10 to 15 percent of the population, and their residential areas are frequently targeted.

Islamabad maintains that separatist armed groups in southern Balochistan and other Islamist militants in the northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near Islamabad use Afghan territory as a safe haven for launching attacks.

The Taliban government in Afghanistan has repeatedly denied Pakistan's accusations.

Bilateral relations have reportedly deteriorated as troops from both sides clash regularly at the border.

Previously, a suicide bombing outside an Islamabad court in November killed 12 people and injured dozens.

In Balochistan last week, 36 civilians and 22 security personnel were killed in an attack claimed by separatist rebels, and security forces reported killing nearly 200 terrorists in retaliation.

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