Dozens of casualties in blast at Taliban religious school in Pakistan

A blast at an Islamic religious school in Pakistan where key Taliban leaders have studied killed two people on Friday, police said.

The explosion happened as people gathered for weekly Friday prayers at the Dar-ul-Uloom Haqqania school in Akora Khattak, about 60 kilometres (35 miles) east of Peshawar.

“Two people have died, and 11 others are wounded. However, there are fears that the death toll may rise,” said police officer Noor Ali Khan, adding that the head of the school may have been killed.

Later, it was announced at least 3 people died, and 20 people injured as a result of the blast.

It was given the nickname the “University of Jihad” for its fiery ideology and the number of Taliban fighters it has produced.

The sprawling campus is home to roughly 4,000 students who are fed, clothed and educated for free.

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.