Suicide attack on Rawalpindi mosque, 35 killed

Two suicide bombers blew themselves up in a mosque packed with hundreds of Friday worshippers, including military personnel, in Pakistan's garrison city of Rawalpindi after it was stormed by terrorists, killing at least 35 people and injuring 68 others.

Terrorists, who used ladders to clamber over the walls of the Jamia Masjid near Parade Lane, lobbed grenades and fired indiscriminately at worshippers, including serving and retired military personnel, who had gathered for Friday prayers at the shrine near army's heavily-guarded General Headquarters.

The attackers also exchanged fire with the mosque's security guards. Two of the attackers then blew themselves up in the mosque, intelligence sources were quoted as saying by Dawn News channel.

Thirty-five people were killed and 68 others injured, TV news channels reported.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik confirmed 30 deaths while chief military spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas put the death toll at 26.

There was confusion about the total number of terrorists involved in the attack in the mosque frequented by military personnel. Some witnesses said seven to eight gunmen stormed the mosque while police and army officials put the number of assailants at five to six.

At least three of the attackers were killed or blew themselves up, reports said.