Primary school blown up in Chitral

Published September 30, 2018
Police official says an IED was used to knock down the only primary school in the area. — AP/File
Police official says an IED was used to knock down the only primary school in the area. — AP/File

A primary school for boys in a village in Chitral was blown up early on Sunday morning, police officials said.

District Police Officer (DPO) Furqan Bilal confirmed the attack on the primary school in Arandu Gol village situated near the Pak-Afghan border, saying it appeared that an improvised explosive device was used to destroy the only primary school in the area.

A police party escaped another IED blast in the area, the police official said. A second IED had been planted along the road near the school and went off minutes after policemen passed by the spot, the DPO added.

Police have started an investigation into the incident. When questioned about the suspected identities of the perpetrators, the DPO said, "At the moment, I not in a position to comment about the attackers."

He speculated that terrorists from across the border may have involved in the incident.

Adviser on Education to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ziaullah Bangash condemned the incident. Last month, over a dozen schools ─ most of them for girls ─ were burnt down in Gilgit-Baltistan's Diamer district.

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