Official: Bomb in Pakistani mosque kills 20

PESHAWAR, Pakistan

A bomb exploded at a mosque in a militant-riddled part of northwest Pakistan during Friday prayers, killing at least 20 people and wounding 30 others, an official said.

The blast was the latest in a series of attacks to hit mosques and Sufi shrines in Pakistan, and underscored the relentless security challenge to a nation where Islamist militancy -- as well as enmity among the various Muslim sects -- have long run rampant.

The blast occurred in Darra Adam Khel, an area near Pakistan's tribal regions where Taliban-led militants have been active. Its target was a Sunni Muslim mosque and the worshippers gathered there on Friday afternoon, the most attended prayer session of the week, said Saeed Khan, a local government official.

Investigators were trying to determine if a suicide bomber was involved, Khan said.

In October, a bomb attack at a Sunni mosque on the outskirts of the main northwest city of Peshawar killed three people and wounded 22. It also occurred during Friday prayers.