The death toll rises after suicide bombers attacked a Pakistani mosque

A suicide bomber detonated explosives during crowded prayers at a mosque in a police compound in Pakistan on Monday, causing the roof to collapse. More than 30 people have been killed, AP reports the number has risen to 34. Officials have said 150 had been injured.

Most of the victims were police officers. It was not clear how the bomber managed to sneak into the walled compound, which houses the police station of the northwestern city of Peshawar and itself is in a high-security zone with other government buildings.

Sarbakaf Mohmand, a Pakistani Taliban commander, claimed responsibility for the attack on Twitter. The main spokesman for the militant group was not immediately available for comment.

Pakistan has seen a spate of militant attacks since November, when the Pakistani Taliban ended their ceasefire with government forces. This was one of the deadliest attacks on security forces in recent years.

More than 300 worshipers were praying in the mosque, with more arriving, when the bomber detonated his explosive vest. According to Zafar Khan, a local police officer, many were injured when the roof came down.

Rescuers rushed to clear mounds of rubble from the mosque grounds to reach worshipers still trapped under the rubble, police said.

Meena Gul, who was in the mosque when the bomb went off, said he does not know how he survived unscathed. The 38-year-old police officer said he could hear screams and screams after the bomb exploded.

Siddique Khan, a police official, said the death toll has risen to 34, including Noor-ul-Amin, the prayer leader. He said the attacker blew himself up while among the worshippers.

Peshawar police chief Ijaz Khan said at least 150 people were injured. A nearby hospital listed many of the injured in critical condition, raising concerns that the death toll could rise.

Peshawar is the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where the Pakistani Taliban has a strong presence, and the city has been the scene of frequent militant attacks.

For more information, watch Euronews’ report in the video above.