Charsadda suicide blast: attacker loaded with ball bearings

PESHAWAR: The suicide bomber who killed 54 people in Sherpao village mosque had packed his explosives vest with ball bearings to inflict maximum casualties, a hospital official said on Saturday.

With security agencies hunting for clues to Friday's attack, a doctor said many of the victims suffered severe shrapnel wounds.

"Many were hit by ball bearings packed into the bomber's suicide jacket," said Manzoor Khan of the main state-run hospital in the northwest town of Charshadda, where the attack occurred.

"It seems most of the victims died from excessive bleeding," he was quoted as saying.

Local police said the head of the suicide bomber had not been located but that two severed legs believed to be his were being sent for DNA tests.

"We are probing locally and a team of experts is conducting a high-level investigation into the incident," said local police officer Gulzar Ahmed.

Ahmed said funeral services were held for 44 of the victims on Friday night. The bodies of others were sent to their home villages in the area, he said.