Deadly Blast Strikes Mosque at Pro-Taliban Seminary in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Peshawar, February 28: A powerful bomb explosion inside a mosque at a pro-Taliban seminary in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Friday claimed the lives of at least five worshippers and left dozens injured, local authorities confirmed. The attack comes just days before the beginning of the holy month of Ramzan.

The blast occurred in Akkora Khattak, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, within Jamia Haqqania, a well-known religious school with historic ties to the Afghan Taliban. District police chief Abdul Rashid stated that investigations are ongoing, and emergency services are transporting the wounded to nearby hospitals.

No group has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, according to reports from the Associated Press.

The bombing took place ahead of Ramzan, which is expected to commence over the weekend, depending on the sighting of the moon.

Jamia Haqqania has long been associated with radical ideology and has produced several members of the Taliban over the years, earning it the controversial moniker, the "University of Jihad." The institution provides free education, food, and accommodation to approximately 4,000 students.

For decades, religious seminaries, or madrassas, across Pakistan have played a significant role in the spread of hardline ideologies, often serving as recruitment grounds for militant groups. These institutions have historically provided education to thousands of students, particularly refugees, who have limited access to formal schooling.

Authorities have yet to determine the perpetrators of this latest attack, but the incident underscores the ongoing security challenges in the region, particularly as Pakistan grapples with resurgent militant threats.

Further investigations are underway, and security measures are expected to be heightened ahead of Ramzan.