SWAT: Two persons were killed and five others sustained injuries when a man opened fire soon after the Isha prayers at a mosque in Saidu Sharif here on Friday night.

The police said that the injured were promptly taken to the Saidu Sharif Hospital for treatment.

According to initial reports, the assailant also caused a commotion at the hospital after the incident, prompting the police to fire warning shots to bring the situation under control.

`Soon after the incident the police managed to arrest the culprit, and an investigation into the motive behind the attack is currently underway,` said the police.

Prayer leader of the mosque Attaur Rehman told reporters that the attack occurred after the Isha prayers.

`When we finished the prayers, the gunman suddenly rose and opened fire indiscriminately, killing two brothers on the spot and injuring five other worshippers,` he said, adding that the incident took place unexpectedly, leaving the congregation in shock.

Eyewitnesses revealed that the assailant had previously been involved in a tragic incident, where he had shot dead his sister several years ago.

In the aftermath of the attack, panic spread through the local community, leading to protests. The people took to the streets and blocked the Saidu Sharif Road in protest against the shooting.