PESHAWAR, Pakistan — A police officer has been apprehended for his involvement in aiding a suicide bombing at a mosque located within a police compound in the northwestern region of Pakistan.

Provincial police chief Akhtar Hayyat disclosed the arrest of police constable Mohammad Wali during a press briefing held in Peshawar, the capital city of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, on Tuesday.

Wali, who had been serving with the Peshawar police, is accused of providing a map of the police compound to the suicide bomber responsible for the tragic attack that occurred on January 29, 2023, leading to the deaths of 101 individuals, primarily police personnel, and injuring around 250 more.

According to Hayyat, Wali became affiliated with the banned group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a faction that split from the Pakistani Taliban, in the year 2023. The police chief confirmed that Wali was arrested during a raid conducted on Monday, and he has admitted to his involvement in the bombing.

Last year, authorities released CCTV footage captured at the blast site, revealing the suicide bomber dressed in police attire as he approached the mosque on a motorcycle, which appeared to be malfunctioning. Hayyat mentioned that it is suspected that the police uniform worn by the bomber had been supplied by Wali.

This assault on the mosque, situated within a police facility, marked one of the most devastating attacks targeting law enforcement in recent years.