No fewer than five worshippers have been confirmed dead after a powerful bomb exploded inside a mosque located in Akhora Khattak, northwestern Pakistan.
The explosion, which occurred at the Jamia Haqqania seminary premises, known for its links to the Afghan Taliban, left dozens of others injured with varying degrees of injury.
This tragic incident came ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which is expected to start in a day subject to the sighting of the moon.
Confirming the attack on Friday, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, district Police Chief, Abdul Rashid indicated that the head of a faction of the Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam (JUI) party was among those who were critically injured.
He further stated that the survivors had been promptly transported to the nearest medical facility, where they are currently receiving necessary treatment and care for their injuries.
Condemning the attack, provincial police Chief, Zulfiqar Hameed, noted that over a dozen police officers were guarding the mosque when the attack occurred.
According to Hammed, the blast was apparently a suicide bombing, but bomb disposal experts are still investigating to unravel how it was planted in the premise.
So far, no militant group has claimed responsibility of the attack.
