Suicide bomber strikes outside Shiite mosque in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD – Pakistani police say they foiled a suicide bombing at a Shiite mosque in southern Pakistan, where an attacker blew himself up as guards stopped him for a search.

Three police officers were wounded in the explosion in Shikarpur district on Tuesday.

Police officer Bahardin Kerio says the attack happened during prayers for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha. He says a second attacker, a would-be suicide bomber, was shot and wounded at the scene, after which the officers arrested him.

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Kerio says one of the wounded officers was in critical condition. He says hundreds of worshippers were inside the mosque at the time.

In June last year, a suicide attack at a Shiite mosque in Shikarpur killed 59 people.