PKonweb Monitor

Officials have confirmed 42 casualties in a well coordinated attack at a mosque close to army headquarters in Rawalpindi on Friday.

The attack took place inside and outside the jam-packed mosque during Friday prayers. The gunmen arrived in a grey Toyota car and then threw grenades and opened fire on the mosque.

The attackers sprayed worshippers with gunfire before blowing themselves up, reported Times UK.

Most of the dead are reported to have been serving or retired military officials.

Two of the militants entered the mosque while others ran into buildings nearby. Security forces exchanged fire with the assailants for an hour before they blew themselves up.

"They were three. They first opened fire and then blew themselves up," Rao Iqbal, Rawalpindi police chief, told Reuters.

Nasir Ali Sheikh, who was going towards the mosque to pray, said: "They were killing people like animals. I couldn’t understand what was happening."

Army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas told AFP that between three and five gunmen launched the strike on the mosque frequented by military officers. A portion of the mosque caved in as a result of the attack.

Witnesses reported at least five blasts, while Interior Minister Rehman Malik told a private television channel that the bombers disguised themselves as worshippers before launching their attack.

‘There were two suicide bombers and the roof of the mosque collapsed…they are taking revenge for the Pakistan army’s successful operations in Swat and Waziristan regions,’ Malik said.

Security forces have seized a car at the site of the incident, which is suspected to have been used for carrying the terrorists to their target point.

Sources say that three of the terrorists were also killed by the security forces’ retaliatory firing.

The attack comes as President Obama announced his new Afghan policy Tuesday retiterating his resolve to take the battle to the militant’s doorstep and asking Pakistan to take out those "hiding in the tribal areas whose locations are known".

The American president said in his speech announcing the surge of 30,000 forces that Washington would not tolerate Pakistan allowing its territory to be a safe haven for militants.

Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari came under fresh pressure to root out Osama bin Laden and other senior Al Qaeda figures believed to be hiding in the northern provinces of Pakistan, commented Times UK in its report today.  (MAMOSA)