A suicide bomber in northwest Pakistan killed at least 36 people and injured more than 100 others taking part in a funeral procession on the outskirts of Peshawar on Wednesday, police officials reported.
"We expect the death toll to rise substantially as it was a big procession," Mujahid Khan, a spokesman for the Edhi emergency rescue service said by telephone, Bloomberg reported.
Around 300 people, including anti-Taliban militiamen, attended the funeral, according to police estimates. Eyewitnesses said the suicide bomber appeared to be a teenager who arrived just as the funeral was about to start.
"We thought this youth was coming to attend the funeral, but he suddenly detonated a bomb," Syed Alam Khan said.
The Taliban claimed responsibility for the bombing, saying they targeted the funeral because the militiamen in attendance were affiliated with the Pakistani government and, therefore, the U.S.
"We will carry out more such attacks if they did not stop their activities," Taliban spokesman Ahsanullah Ahsan said.
On Tuesday, at least 25 people were killed when Taliban terrorists detonated a car bomb in Pakistan's third largest city, Faisalabad, which reportedly targeted the country's main intelligence agency.
Terrorists detonated the bomb at a gas station to maximize the carnage. Several buildings were damaged and at least 100 people injured.
The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for Tuesday's bombing as well, The Associated Press reported.