Suicide bombing at Pakistan wedding kills six, including ex-Taliban figure

At least six people were killed and 10 others injured when a suicide bomber struck a wedding ceremony in Pakistan’s northwestern Dera Ismail Khan district on Friday night, police said.

Among the dead was Waheed Ullah Mehsud, also known as Jigri Mehsud, a former Pakistani Taliban member who later led a pro-government peace militia.

The explosion occurred near Qureshi Mor during a wedding ceremony at a residential house, where a large number of guests had gathered, police said.

Speaking to Nukta, Dera Ismail Khan police spokesperson Zulqarnian Yaqoob said the blast took place during the wedding of a local contractor’s nephew. Eyewitness footage from the scene showed relatives and friends performing traditional wedding dances moments before the explosion.

District Police Officer Sajjad Ahmed Sahibzada Saturday confirmed the attack was a suicide bombing and said it appeared to have targeted members of a local peace militia, several of whom were attending the ceremony. “The head of the suicide bomber has been recovered, and investigations are ongoing,” he said.

Bilal Ahmed Faizi, a spokesperson for Rescue 1122, said the explosion caused part of the roof to collapse. Rescue teams recovered six bodies from the site and transported 10 injured people to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Security sources said other members of the local peace committee, including Noor Alam, Noor Hasan and Misbah, were present at the ceremony. Noor Alam was injured in the blast. Those killed were identified as Rahman Ullah, Niamat Ullah, Shehzad, Waheed, and social activist and lawyer Abdul Majeed, in addition to Jigri Mehsud.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi condemned the attack and summoned a report from the province’s inspector general of police. He directed authorities to ensure the injured receive the best possible medical care and ordered security agencies to investigate the incident swiftly and bring those responsible to justice.

Provincial Governor Faisal Karim Kundi also sought a detailed report on the blast, urged officials to provide full medical assistance to the victims and expressed condolences to the families of those killed.

No militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, unofficial sources linked to militant networks said the suicide bombing may have been carried out by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Who was Jigri Mehsud?

Security sources said Jigri Mehsud was a former senior figure in the TTP and a close associate of the group’s former chief, Hakimullah Mehsud. He was allegedly involved in several militant operations in Waziristan, including attacks on security forces, before leaving Pakistan.

A file photo of Jigri Mehsud.Nukta

Following military operations in the region, Jigri relocated to Afghanistan’s Paktika province. Amid internal factional disputes, he later surrendered to Pakistani security forces and returned to Dera Ismail Khan in 2016.

After his return, he publicly distanced himself from militancy and assumed leadership of a pro-government peace committee, also known as an Aman Lashkar. He also spent time in Karachi, where security officials say he oversaw extortion-related activities linked to militant networks rather than engaging in armed operations.

In recent years, Jigri gained public attention for advocating reconciliation and amnesty with TTP leadership, efforts that were reportedly rejected by the group.