Pakistan: Another girls school blown up by militants

Source: Express Tribune

The Government Higher Secondary School for girls located in Dab Kot village, South Waziristan was blown up when explosive materials planted near the building detonated on Monday.

The bombs, placed at three different places close to the school building, exploded and damaged classrooms, porch and boundary wall of the school building, the official added.

Jan Muhammad Khujal Khel, a resident of the area, told The Express Tribune that he heard three blasts at around 2am and then came to know that the girls was targeted.

He added that the school building was very “badly damaged”.

The girls school was the only functional higher secondary school in the area and there were more than 500 female students enrolled in it.

Khel added that there was no casualty in the blasts as the building was vacant due to Eid holidays.

In May, two other schools blown up

Officials said that militants blew up a girls school in South Waziristan tribal area.

The militants had attached explosives to the school building at two sites at Janan Kot area, some five kilometres from Wana, headquarters of South Waziristan, an official said.

The building was completely destroyed.

Another school was blown up in Mohmand tribal region. Suspected militants had placed explosives at different sides of a government primary school and the blast razed the building to the ground.

Officials said that the militants have destroyed nearly 60 schools only in Mohmand agency during their armed campaign against the security forces and pro-government tribesmen.

The Taliban have warned tribal people, government contractors and workers of non-governmental organisations to stay away from construction work in South Waziristan Agency.

Through a one-page leaflet, written in Urdu on a plain paper, Taliban have termed South Waziristan a conflict zone and asked the tribal people to vacate the area.

The leaflet titled ‘Last warning for residents of Mehsud area, South Waziristan Agency’ doesn’t carry any signature or monogram of any militant organisation.

“Neither have we permitted nor will allow any government contractor and NGO workers to work there as they all are our target,” it said.

The leaflet said that clemency would be declared for all those, who vacated the area voluntarily.

“All employees of education, health, Khasadar Force and NGOs etc will be considered criminals if they perform duty,” it said. It also warned tribal elders against signing documents of displaced Mehsud people for reconstruction purpose or getting relief assistance.

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