PESHAWAR: Taliban burnt down seven primary schools in Buner, where children recently resumed their studies after the area was declared safe by the army, officials said on Tuesday as security forces killed 25 Taliban in Swat and a tribal area.
“Three boys’ and four girls’ primary schools were set on fire by Taliban on Monday in Buner district,” district police chief Abdul Rasheed told AFP.
No one was hurt in the arson attacks as the schools were closed for the night, he said, but the buildings were burnt to the ground.
Shamsul Arifeen, the NWFP education secretary, confirmed the attacks. The military claims to have largely defeated the Taliban in the area.
The Online news agency reported that five schools were also torched in Shangla.
According to the APP news agency, eight Taliban and three security personnel were killed in a gunbattle – which continued for about 18 hours.
Troops also arrested 29 Taliban from various areas of the valley.
Meanwhile, two Taliban surrendered in Khairarai.
In Bara tehsil of Khyber Agency, three people were injured as helicopter gunships shelled the area on Tuesday, sources said.
Security forces also destroyed four houses owned by Taliban in Shalobar area.
Separately, unidentified gunmen kidnapped Palai Union Council Sher Muhammad Khan from a mosque in Zor Mandi area.
Meanwhile, paramilitary forces killed at least 17 Taliban in a tribal area after the group killed two civilians in a rocket attack in Peshawar, said officials.
“In an operation by security forces today 17 Taliban were killed,” said a paramilitary statement.
A paramilitary commander separately told AFP the operation was launched after Taliban fired rockets at a paramilitary post early on Tuesday in a rare and brazen assault in Peshawar.
The pre-dawn rocket attack targeted a Frontier Corps base in the city’s Hayatabad neighbourhood. agencies/staff report
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