Pak mosque carnage: Police identifies bomber through DNA samples

Pakistani authorities on Friday claimed to have made an "important breakthrough" in its probe into the Peshawar mosque attack by identifying the suicide bomber through his DNA samples, and have arrested a woman in connection with the attack that killed over 100 worshippers.

Ijaz Khan, the chief of Peshawar city police, said that the arrested woman is also assisting the investigators in the probe.

"Important breakthrough has been achieved by the investigators probing Peshawar police lines suicide blast as the investigators secured credible evidence that led to the identification of the bomber," Khan said.

The suicide bomber blew himself up during the afternoon prayers on Monday in the mosque in the Police Lines area, killing 101 people, 97 of them security personnel, and injuring more than 200 others.

The banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the group later distanced itself from the attack.

Khan said that the DNA test has been obtained and the investigators are trying to trace the family of the bomber.

The bomber left his helmet at the gate before entering the highly-secured mosque which could be seen in the CCTV footage.

Khan said that the specification for the DNA test of the bomber has been taken from his head, legs and other body parts.

The police on Thursday said that the bomber had disguised himself in a police uniform to sneak into the high-security zone and was riding a motorcycle with a helmet and mask on.