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The jihadi death cult has boasted to carrying out the bombing on the hospital in Quetta, Pakistan.ISIS's news agency said: "A martyr from the Islamic State detonated his explosive belt at a gathering of justice ministry employees and Pakistani policemen in the city of Quetta."

At least 70 people were killed in the blast and more than 100 have been injured after a crowd gathered at the hospital to mourn the earlier killing of a lawyer.

The Pakistani Taliban faction Jamaat-ur-Ahrar has also claimed responsibility for the attack.

(Image: AFP)

(Image: AFP)

Targeted killings have become increasingly common in the city – which has seen rising violence linked to a separatist insurgency as well as sectarian tensions.

A state of emergency has been declared across hospitals in the region.

President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif have strongly condemned the blast.

"There are many wounded, so the death toll could rise," said Rehmat Saleh Baloch, the provincial health minister.

(Image: GETTY) (Image: TWITTER)

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast, which struck at the gates of the building housing the emergency ward.

Riaz Ahmed, a 74-year-old lawyer, had gone to the hospital with an assistant and his nephew to find out what had happened to Kasi when the blast occurred.

“I was near a wall and I fell down,” he said. “The wall protected me. My assistant and my nephew are injured and being treated. It was a miracle that I survived.

“There was chaos after the blast, with body parts lying everywhere. It is hard to recognise the victims. Many of the injured are quite critical. Most of the dead are prominent lawyers.”

(Image: PH)

It comes after a string of terror-related incidents around the world.

Just days ago, a man was accused of plotting an attack on the Olympic Games in Rio.

And Europe has been victim to several incidents after more than 80 people were killed in the Nice attacks.