Suicide blast at Taliban religious school in Pakistan kills 4
A suicide attack at an Islamic religious school in Pakistan known as the "University of Jihad" -- where key Taliban leaders have studied -- killed four people on Friday, police said.
Among those who died was Hamid ul Haq Haqqani, the head of the Dar-ul-Uloom Haqqania school, in Akora Khattak, about 60 kilometres (35 miles) east of Peshawar.
"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 AFP, adding that four people were killed and 13 wounded in the blast.
Rasheed said that Haqqani, the head of a local rightwing Islamist party, appeared to be the target of the bomber.
He was the son of Sami ul Haq Haqqani, who was assassinated in 2018 and known as the "father of the Taliban" for teaching the insurgent group's founder Mullah Omar at the same religious school.
The explosion happened as people gathered for weekly Friday prayers, the most important day of the week.
The sprawling campus in Pakistan's Akora Khattak is home to roughly 4,000 students who are fed, clothed and educated for free.
It became known as the "University of Jihad" for its fiery ideology and the number of Taliban fighters it has produced.
Omar, who led an insurgency against the United States and NATO troops in Afghanistan before his death in 2013, graduated from the school along with Jalaluddin Haqqani, the founder of the feared Haqqani network which took its name from the school.
The Haqqani network is responsible for some of the worst attacks in Afghanistan.
Jalaluddin Haqqani was the father of Sirajuddin Haqqani, the current interior minister for the Taliban government in Afghanistan, himself also a student of the school.
Abdul Mateen Qani, the spokesman for the interior ministry in Kabul, said the government "strongly condemn the attack" and blamed it on the jihadist Islamic State group.
IS, a rival of the Taliban movement but with which it shares a similar hardline Islamic ideology, has been responsible for several attacks against the Taliban government since it retook power in 2021.
No group has yet claimed the bombing.
- Incubators for militancy -
The school has sat at the crossroads of regional militant violence for years, educating many Pakistanis and Afghan refugees -- some of whom returned home to wage war against the Russians and Americans or preach jihad.
For decades, Pakistani madrassas have served as incubators for militancy, indoctrinating tens of thousands of refugees who have few other options for education than the fire-breathing lectures from hardline clerics.
Rather than crack down on the institutions, successive governments in Islamabad -- which rely on the support of Islamist parties in coalition governments -- have largely given the madrassas a free hand.
The Taliban surged back to power in Kabul in August 2021 after foreign forces withdrew and the former government collapsed.
Militancy has since rebounded in the border regions with Afghanistan.
Last year was the deadliest in a decade for Pakistan, with a surge in attacks that killed more than 1,600 people, according to Islamabad-based analysis group the Center for Research and Security Studies.
Islamabad accuses Kabul's rulers of failing to root out militants sheltering on Afghan soil as they prepare to stage assaults on Pakistan, a charge the Taliban government denies.
la/ecl/dhc
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Syria orders women to wear burkinis on public beaches
Women in Syria must wear burkinis or swimwear that covers their body at public beaches and swimming pools, its tourism ministry has declared. It is the first time Damascus' Islamist authorities have issued guidelines for women to observe conservative dress codes since Bashar al-Assad's autocratic regime was toppled in December, amid concerns the country's new rulers could implement a more religiously conservative agenda. The new restrictions were part of a wider decree that detailed public safety guidelines for beaches and swimming pools, such as not spending too long in the sun. Syrians should wear 'appropriate swimwear that respects public decency and the feelings of different segments of society', it said, which required 'more modest swimsuits'. The order specified that women should wear 'the burkini or swimming clothes that cover the body more'. Men are required to wear shirts under the guidance, which said that 'topless clothing is not permitted in public areas outside of swimming areas, hotel lobbies, and food service areas'. 'In public areas outside of beaches and pools, it is preferable to wear loose clothing, covering shoulders and knees, and avoid transparent or overly tight clothing,' it added. Although 'normal Western swimwear' is still permitted at private clubs and luxury hotels, it said the new rules should be followed 'with adherence to public morals and within the limits of public taste'. The ministry said 'lifeguards and beach supervisors' would monitor compliance to the guidelines. Repercussions for rule breakers are unclear. The crackdown reflects the influence of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) the de-facto Islamist coalition, designated a terrorist organisation by the UN the US, EU and UK, who led the lighting offensive that ousted Assad's regime and are now running Syria. Ahmad al-Sharaa, Syria's new president, has been working to assure global leaders that he won't restrict women's rights in the new Syria. Sunni Islamist group HTS – which has its roots in al-Qaeda – claims it has a more nuanced approach to implementing Sharia law than other hardline regimes in the Middle East. For example, Iran's morality police have brutally cracked down on women and girls perceived as failing to comply with the mandatory hijab laws and regulations, using public flogging and beatings as punishment. But al-Sharaa is treading a fine line, with observers abroad keeping a keen eye on signs that Syria could implement stricter Islamic laws. In December, he provoked a social media furore when he requested that a young woman who approached him for a photo covered her hair before taking a picture. Syria is working to rebuild after it was ravaged by 14 years of civil war. Last month, US president Donald Trump promised to lift economic sanctions on Syria, representing a major US policy shift toward the country. 'I will be ordering the cessation of sanctions against Syria in order to give them a chance at greatness,' said Mr Trump. 'It's their time to shine. We're taking them all off,' he added. 'Good luck Syria, show us something very special.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.


The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
GOP senators get heated over Hegseth answers
The Big Story Republican senators came out firing during Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's hearing on Wednesday before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on armed forces. Greg Nash, The Hill Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) immediately pressed Hegseth over the Russia-Ukraine war, with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) driving home the point later in the hearing; Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), the top Senate appropriator, scolded the Pentagon's delays with budget information. McConnell, one of three Republicans who opposed Hegseth's confirmation, gaveled in the hearing by calling out the Trump administration for what he views as a flat base-line defense budget. He then launched into strong warnings against the U.S. cozying up to Russia in its bid to end its war in Ukraine. McConnell said Washington's allies are 'wondering whether we're in the middle of brokering what appears to be allowing the Russians to define victory. I think victory is defined by the people who have to live there — the Ukrainians.' The former Senate majority leader who now chairs the subcommittee, McConnell asked Hegseth which side he wanted to win the war. The Defense chief said the Trump administration wanted the killing to end but would not choose a side. 'America's reputation is on the line,' McConnell said. 'Will we defend Democratic allies against authoritarian aggressors?' Later in the hearing, Graham asked Hegseth and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Dan Caine if Russian President Vladimir Putin is going to stop at Ukraine. 'I don't believe he is,' Caine replied. Hegseth, meanwhile, said it 'remains to be seen.' Graham fired back, referring to his previous allusion to appeasement of Adolf Hitler: 'Well, he says he's not. This is the '30s all over. It doesn't remain to be seen.' The line of questioning laid bare the ideological divide within the GOP as to how the U.S. should confront Russia, seen by defense hawks as a global threat that must be countered with military assistance to prop up Ukraine and assert U.S. force in the European theater. But many in the Trump administration, including Hegseth, have taken a more ambivalent tone, arguing for an 'America First' approach that could see American troops rotated out of bases in Europe and an end to the flow of military aid from Washington to Kyiv. 'We don't want a headline at the end of this conflict that says Russia wins and America loses,' McConnell told Hegseth. The hearing had a far more adversarial tone compared to Hegseth's appearance before the House Appropriations defense subcommittee a day prior, in which the Pentagon chief emerged largely unscathed, particularly at the hands of GOP members. Read the full report at Welcome to The Hill's Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here. Essential Reads How policy will affect defense and national security now and inthe future: US scales back personnel in Middle East as Israel-Iran tensions mount The United States is scaling back the number of personnel in the Middle East as the tensions between longtime foes Israel and Iran mount. The U.S. is downsizing its footprint in Iraq, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has greenlighted the departures of military dependents across northeast Africa, the Middle East, and portions of South and Central Asia. 'President Trump is committed to keeping Americans safe, … Marines deployed near LA have not completed training on use of force, nonlethal weapons The 700 Marines mobilized to the Los Angeles area on Monday have not yet completed pre-mission training as of Wednesday morning, with no clear picture yet as to whether they will be deployed on the ground, a U.S. Northern Command official confirmed to The Hill. The Marines 'are still conducting pre-mission training and they have not been employed by Task Force 51, the DoD command element in Los Angeles,' a Northcom spokesperson … Troops in LA can detain individuals, general says A U.S. Army general said on Wednesday that troops tasked with ensuring security in Los Angeles will be able to temporarily detain individuals until law enforcement agents step in to arrest them. U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman told reporters Wednesday that the 700 Marines and 4,000 National Guard troops, ordered to the City of Angels in response to the protests against the administration's immigration raids, will not … On Our Radar Upcoming things we're watching on our beat: In Other News Branch out with a different read from The Hill: LA mayor casts Trump admin ICE raids as 'political retribution' amid unrest Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Los Angeles were 'political retribution' against residents of the predominantly Democratic city. 'Angelenos are trying to live their lives—going to work, caring for their families—while facing the constant threat … On Tap Tomorrow Events in and around the defense world: What We're Reading News we've flagged from other outlets: Trending Today Two key stories on The Hill right now: Where the 'No Kings' anti-Trump military parade protests are planned Organizers with the 'No Kings' movement are planning some 1,500 demonstrations across the country to protest the upcoming military parade … Read more Entire Fulbright board resigns, citing Trump administration interference All members of the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board resigned Wednesday, citing alleged political interference by members of the Trump administration. … Read more Opinions in The Hill Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: You're all caught up. See you tomorrow! Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here


New York Post
an hour ago
- New York Post
Russia fired North Korean ballistic missiles at Ukraine in latest barrage, Zelensky says
Russia has been firing North Korean ballistic missiles against Kyiv in the deadly overnight barrages, the latest of which killed three people in Ukraine's second-largest city, officials said. The attack on Wednesday morning saw the Kremlin fire 85 drones and one missile across 14 locations over the border, with Kyiv identifying the rocket's origin as North Korean, similar to the ones fired during Monday's record-breaking airstrike. 'The Russians have once again used ballistic missiles from North Korea,' Ukrainian President Zelensky said of the attacks. Advertisement 4 A residential building in Kharkiv was hit by a Russian drone strike overnight. AP 4 A Ukrainian firefighter walks past a car destroyed by the Kremlin's attack on Wednesday. AFP via Getty Images 'We are also tracking evidence that Russian-Iranian drone technologies have spread to North Korea. This is extremely dangerous both for Europe and for East and Southeast Asia,' he added. Zelensky said that the longer the Russian invasion lasts, the more the Kremlin's war machine will evolve and prove to be a 'threat' to the West. Advertisement 'This must be addressed now — not when thousands of upgraded Shahed drones and ballistic missiles begin to threaten Seoul and Tokyo,' Zelensky warned North Korea's usual targets. The warning highlighted the growing military alliance between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, with UN officials finding that Pyongyang delivered as many as nine million rounds of artillery and rocket launcher ammunition to the Kremlin so far this year. 4 Officials said the overnight attack rocked Kharkiv with nine consecutive minutes of nonstop bombings. AP Advertisement 4 Ukraine warned that the military alliance between Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin is growing and could threaten Europe and Asia. AP Russia's plethora of drones and missiles have been used to relentlessly attack Ukraine, with more than 1,500 drones and missiles fired over the past week, the most intense airstrike campaign of the three-year war. Moscow's latest attack, significantly smaller than the ones of previous nights, was aimed at Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said the attack killed at least three people in the northeast city, with another 56 injured in the assault, which allegedly included Iranian-designed Shahed drones. Advertisement The attack also saw more than 103 residential buildings damaged in what officials said was nine minutes of non-stop bombings, with Terekhov describing the destruction as 'enormous.' Moscow had vowed to retaliate hard against Kyiv over the humiliating attack earlier this month that saw Ukrainian drones damage and destroy dozens of Russia's heavy bombers in 'Operation Spider Web.' With Post wires