Blast among children reciting Quran at Peshawar madrassa: 8 killed, 140 injured

The dead-injured students ranged in age from seven to 11 years, including teachers

Peshawar, Ta. Ta. Tuesday, October 27, 2020

A bomb blast near a madrassa in Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar has killed at least eight children and injured more than 140 others. The blast happened just as children were studying the Quran and Islam in a madrassa.

As a result, eight children died on the spot while many of the injured children are in critical condition so the death toll could rise. Terrorists have been carrying out frequent attacks in Peshawar targeting Shia Muslims, as part of which police suspect was part of the attack.

According to police, children were reciting the Quran in the main hall of the famous Jamia Zuberia Madrassa in Peshawar when a bomb was placed in a bag, which later exploded. Eight children were killed in the blast.

The blast was so horrific that even the hall window glass was shattered and splashes of children's blood splashed on the walls. Preliminary investigations revealed that a bomb had been planted in the bag and placed here, which exploded within minutes. The bag contained about five kilograms of explosives.

The hospital authority said the condition of many was critical and therefore the death toll would rise. Most of the students killed were between the ages of seven and 11. Some Afghan students were also studying in this madrassa. Prime Minister Imran Khan strongly condemned the attack and said the attacker would not be released.

A few days ago, Pakistani agencies issued an alert saying major attacks could take place in major cities, including Peshawar, targeting religious as well as educational institutions. However, due to lack of security arrangements, the terrorists easily infiltrated the madrassa and dropped bombs on the hall. The attack also injured some teachers who are undergoing treatment.