Pakistan: Suicide blast at Taliban religious school in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa kills 5, injures dozens

Pakistan Blast: Suicide Bombing at Pro-Taliban Seminary Kills 5, Injures Dozens Ahead of Ramzan

A powerful suicide bombing struck a mosque within a pro-Taliban seminary in northwestern Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Friday, killing at least five worshippers and injuring dozens, local police reported. The explosion occurred in Akkora Khattak, with district police chief Abdul Rashid confirming ongoing investigations and efforts to transport the dead and wounded to hospitals.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack at Jamia Haqqania, a seminary known for its historical ties to the Afghan Taliban, according to the Associated Press.

The bombing took place just before the holy month of Ramzan, expected to begin on Saturday or Sunday, depending on the moon sighting.

Nicknamed the "University of Jihad," Jamia Haqqania has long been associated with militant ideology and has produced several Taliban leaders, including the group's late founder, Mullah Omar, and Jalaluddin Haqqani, the founder of the Haqqani network. The seminary houses approximately 4,000 students who receive free education, food, and clothing.

For decades, Pakistani madrassas have played a role in militant recruitment, educating many Afghan refugees and Pakistanis, some of whom later joined conflicts against foreign forces. Following the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, militant activity has surged in Pakistan’s border regions.

Last year, Pakistan saw its deadliest wave of violence in a decade, with over 1,600 fatalities, as reported by the Center for Research and Security Studies. The Pakistani government has accused Afghanistan's Taliban-led administration of harboring militants responsible for cross-border attacks—an allegation Kabul denies.

Taliban Condemn Attack

Afghanistan’s Taliban government strongly condemned the bombing, with Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani blaming the attack on the Islamic State group, which has not yet claimed responsibility. "We strongly condemn the attack. We know them as the enemies of religion, and we have tried our best to eliminate them successfully," Qani stated.