U.S. condemns Karachi mosque attack that killed 8

U.S. condemns Karachi mosque attack that killed 8

2010-10-08 12:18:52 GMT+7 (ICT)

KARACHI (BNO NEWS) -- The United States on Friday 'strongly condemned' the twin suicide bombing at a prominent Karachi mosque on Thursday evening.

The two suicide bomb blasts and a subsequent stampede in front of the Abdullah Shah Ghazi shrine in the Clifton neighborhood of Karachi killed at least eight people, down from the 12 fatalities initially reported by police. At least 58 people were injured, including ten people who were critically injured.

Among the injured were a number of people who sustained injuries during a stampede at the scene as people tried to flee the scene. The Pakistani Taliban reportedly has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari strongly condemned the attack, which he said showed that terrorists have no respect or consideration for any religion and faith.

Meanwhile, Acting Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner at the U.S. State Department said the U.S. government also condemned the attack and said its thoughts and 'deep sympathies' are with the affected families and the people of Pakistan.

"There's obviously no political justification for killing innocent people, and we strongly condemn any deliberate targeting of civilians," Toner said. "While terrorists continue to target innocent Pakistanis, the United States continues to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Pakistan in its struggle against terrorism as well as its recovery from the floods."

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