A suicide bomber today attacked a mosque filled with nearly 2,000 worshippers, killing at least 35 people and wounding over 150 others. Part of the mosque was destroyed in the attack, and several vehicles were damaged. Rescue teams are still searching through the rubble for more dead and injured people.

The suicide attack was the second in as many days, and the latest in a string of massive suicide bombings against mosques and security posts across Pakistan. Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Baitullah Mehsud has claimed responsibility for many of these attacks, saying they are retaliation for the repeated US drone strikes against his compounds and repeated attempts on his life.

Hakimullah Mehsud, a local TTP leader whose compound was hit in a drone strike last week, said that while previously the organization was launching such attacks “once in three months,” they have decided “we have shown enough restraint,” and the organization will not attempt at least two suicide attacks per week.

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