:Peshawar church bombing

{{Infobox civilian attack

| title = Peshawar church bombing

| partof = the Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

| map =

| location = Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

| coordinates = {{Coord|34.0053|71.5712|type:event_region:PK-KP|format=dms|display=inline,title}}

| target = Christians

| type = Suicide bombings, Islamic terrorism, mass murder, religious hate crime

| date = 22 September 2013

| perpetrators = Jundul Hafsa

| assailants = 2 suicide bombers

| weapons = Suicide belts

| fatalities = 127

| injuries = 250

| motive = Anti-Christian sentiment

}}

On 22 September 2013, a twin suicide bombing took place at All Saints Church{{cite web |url=http://zeenews.india.com/news/south-asia/suicide-bombers-attack-historic-church-in-peshawar-60-killed_878368.html |title=Suicide bombers attack historic church in Peshawar, 60 killed |date=22 September 2013 |publisher=Zee News |access-date=22 September 2013 |archive-date=2 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002121637/http://zeenews.india.com/news/south-asia/suicide-bombers-attack-historic-church-in-peshawar-60-killed_878368.html |url-status=live }} in Peshawar, Pakistan, in which 127 people were killed and more than 250 injured.{{failed verification|date=September 2019}}{{cite web |url=http://www.ghrd.org/news/article/news/detail/News/the-september-attack-on-all-saints-church-in-peshawar/ |title=GHRD: Article |publisher=Global Human Rights Defense |access-date=6 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141106162430/http://www.ghrd.org/news/article/news/detail/News/the-september-attack-on-all-saints-church-in-peshawar/ |archive-date=6 November 2014 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24193734 |title=40 die in Pakistan bombing |publisher=BBC News |date=22 September 2013 |access-date=22 September 2013 |archive-date=23 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130923061035/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24193734 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://dawn.com/news/1044668/twin-church-blasts-claims-66-lives-in-peshawar |title=Twin church blasts claims 66 lives in Peshawar |work=Dawn |date=22 September 2013 |access-date=22 September 2013 |archive-date=25 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925031655/http://www.dawn.com/news/1044668/twin-church-blasts-claims-66-lives-in-peshawar |url-status=live }} It was the deadliest attack on the Christian minority in the history of Pakistan.{{cite web |url=http://www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-suicide-bomber-pakistan-20130922,0,923285.story |title=Suicide bomb attack kills 60 at Pakistan church |date=22 September 2013 |agency=Associated Press |work= Los Angeles Times |access-date=22 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922131657/http://www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-suicide-bomber-pakistan-20130922,0,923285.story |archive-date=22 September 2013 |url-status=dead}}

==Bombs==

The two suicide bombers shot two security guards, killing one and injuring the other. Stopped by the police, one of the bombers detonated his device. The second bomber entered the church and detonated the bomb inside.{{cite web |url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1044668/twin-church-blasts-claim-78-lives-in-peshawar |title=Twin church blasts claim 78 lives in Peshawar |date=22 September 2013 |work=Dawn |access-date=22 September 2013 |archive-date=22 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922234227/http://dawn.com/news/1044668/twin-church-blasts-claim-78-lives-in-peshawar |url-status=live }} Another account tells that the suicide bomb blast occurred when the worshippers assembled for a free meal of rice near the front lawn of the church. There were holes in the walls of the church and the windows of the nearby buildings were shattered by the intensity of the blasts. Bodies of the attackers were successfully identified and sent for examination. Their suicide vests were made with {{convert|6|kg|sp=us}} of explosives inside.

Perpetrators of the attack

The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan-linked Islamist group Jundallah claimed responsibility for the attack.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/dozens-killed-as-suicide-bombers-attack-christian-worshipers-in-pakistan/2013/09/22/d2805f6c-237e-11e3-b3e9-d97fb087acd6_story.html |title=Dozens killed as suicide bombers attack Christian worshipers in Pakistan |last=Craig |first=Tim |author2=Nawaz Khan, Haq |date=22 September 2013 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=22 September 2013 |archive-date=23 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130923061611/http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/dozens-killed-as-suicide-bombers-attack-christian-worshipers-in-pakistan/2013/09/22/d2805f6c-237e-11e3-b3e9-d97fb087acd6_story.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-blast-idUSBRE98L02K20130922 |title=Twin suicide bomb attacks on Pakistan church kill at least 56 |date=22 September 2013 |work=Reuters |access-date=22 September 2013 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304063929/http://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-blast-idUSBRE98L02K20130922 |url-status=live }} They said that the attack on Christians and non-Muslims will continue because they are the enemies of Islam and that they will not stop until US drone attacks in Pakistan cease.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24193734 Pakistan church blast kills dozens] ({{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130923061035/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24193734 |date=23 September 2013 }}). BBC News. 22 September 2013[https://www.nation.com.pk/23-Sep-2013/bloodbath-at-peshawar-church "Bloodbath at Peshawar church"]. Nation, 22 September 2013[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/In-deadliest-attack-on-Pakistani-Christians-Taliban-kill-70-in-historic-Peshawar-church/articleshow/22896865.cms In deadliest attack on Pakistani Christians, Taliban kill 70 in historic Peshawar church] ({{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140411100450/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/In-deadliest-attack-on-Pakistani-Christians-Taliban-kill-70-in-historic-Peshawar-church/articleshow/22896865.cms |date=11 April 2014 }}). The Times of India.{{cite web |url=http://theworldoutline.com/2013/09/pakistan-church-bombing-claims-the-lives-of-85-worshippers/#! |title=Pakistan church bombing claims the lives of 85 worshippers |work=The World Outline |access-date=6 November 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141224181115/http://theworldoutline.com/2013/09/pakistan-church-bombing-claims-the-lives-of-85-worshippers/#! |archive-date=24 December 2014}} However, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan denied any involvement in the incident and denied having any links with the perpetrators, saying that their affiliate is Jundul Hafsa, not Jundallah.{{cite news |title=TTP says no links with Jundullah |url=http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-119674-TTP-says-no-links-with-Jundullah |access-date=24 September 2013 |newspaper=The News International|date=24 September 2013 |archive-date=24 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130924180607/http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-119674-TTP-says-no-links-with-Jundullah |url-status=live }}

Response of Pakistani Christians

Christians residing near the church went to the streets and started protesting by burning tires and shouting slogans. Many shops were shut in the Kohati Gate area, which is home to many other churches. There were protest rallies in Karachi, Lahore, Multan and other cities to condemn the killing. There were also clashes reported in Karachi between angry protestors and police.{{cite web |url=http://www.geo.tv/article-119340-Suicide-bombs-kill-78-outside-Peshawar-Church-injure-over-100 |title=Suicide bombs kill 78 outside Peshawar Church, injure over 100 |date=22 September 2013 |publisher=Geo TV |access-date=22 September 2013 |archive-date=27 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927211517/http://www.geo.tv/article-119340-Suicide-bombs-kill-78-outside-Peshawar-Church-injure-over-100 |url-status=live }}

Christian communities in Pakistan lamented "the dying future for Christians in Pakistan" given this was another in a series of recent attacks. In March, hundreds of Christians were persecuted by Islamic zealots over allegations of blasphemy against Islam, a crime under Pakistani law.{{cite news |url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0b4a4ce6-2432-11e3-8905-00144feab7de.html |title=Pakistan Christians fear more persecution following church attack |author=Farhan Bokhari |newspaper=Financial Times|location=London |date=23 September 2013 |access-date=24 September 2013 |archive-date=6 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140206021323/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0b4a4ce6-2432-11e3-8905-00144feab7de.html |url-status=live }}

Reactions

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack and said terrorists have no religion and that targeting innocent people is against the teachings of Islam.{{cite web |url=http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/09/22/20631656-church-bomb-in-pakistan-kills-at-least-55-including-women-and-children?lite |title=Church bomb in Pakistan kills at least 55, including women and children |publisher=NBC News |date=22 September 2013 |access-date=22 September 2013 |archive-date=25 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171225203029/http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/09/22/20631656-church-bomb-in-pakistan-kills-at-least-55-including-women-and-children |url-status=live }}