A powerful suicide bomb exploded inside a mosque at a pro-Taliban seminary in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Friday, killing at least five worshippers and injuring dozens of others. The attack occurred just ahead of the holy month of Ramzan, according to local police.
The explosion took place in Jamia Haqqania, a prominent religious school in Akkora Khattak, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Abdul Rashid, the district police chief, confirmed the blast and stated that investigations were ongoing while the victims were being transported to nearby hospitals.
No Immediate Claim of Responsibility
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the Jamia Haqqania seminary is known for its historical ties to the Afghan Taliban, earning it the nickname “University of Jihad.” The institution has produced several key Taliban leaders, including Mullah Omar, the late founder of the Taliban, and Jalaluddin Haqqani, the founder of the notorious Haqqani Network, responsible for deadly attacks in Afghanistan.
The attack comes as Pakistan faces a resurgence of militant activity in its border regions with Afghanistan. Last year, Pakistan recorded over 1,600 deaths in militant attacks, making it the deadliest year in a decade, according to the Center for Research and Security Studies in Islamabad.
Taliban Condemn Attack
Afghanistan’s Taliban government has strongly condemned the bombing. Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesperson for the Afghan Interior Ministry, blamed the attack—without direct evidence—on Islamic State (IS) militants, calling them “enemies of the religion.”
Pakistan has frequently accused the Afghan Taliban of providing shelter to militants responsible for cross-border attacks, a claim denied by the Taliban government in Kabul.
Sources By Agencies
