3 US soldiers among nine killed in Lower Dir blast
LOWER DIR Feb 3 (APP): At least nine persons including three US soldiers and four girls wee killed and 65 others injured, most of whom girl students when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) went off during inauguration of the newly-constructed girls school at Hajiabad here on Wednesday, DPO Mumtaz Zarin said. He told reporters here that one FC soldier and three US marines who were attached with FC as trainers were killed in the blast that occurred at 1050 am. The dead were indentified as Hira, Fatima, Sana and Naek FC Fazal Mula.
The structures of newly constructed High and Primary sections of the Girls School Koto Haji Abad in Tehsil Balambat were damaged. Police said that IED was dumped on the roadside and its target was believed to be security forces convey. One portion of the school building was razed to ground and majority of the students were later rescued by locals.
The DCO Ghulam Muhammad told APP that the students were not in their class rooms as they were under open sky. Since the students were taking classes under open sky due to inauguration ceremony and cold weather, the casualty figure is less, he added.
Meanwhile, the hospital sources informed that they had received 65 injured of whom condition of four girls is stated to be critical. The injured included 41 girl students and five security officials.
NWFP Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani has strongly condemned the explosion and expressed his deep shock and sorrow over the loss of precious lives. He described the incident as a highly cowardly act of terrorism.
In a condolence message, the Governor said, the elements involved in cowardly acts of terrorism, are already on the run and targeting innocent citizens in frustration. Such miscreants, he added, are the enemies of the country.
The incident of targeting innocent people and public institutions itself speaks the barbaric and retrogressive mindsets of such elements and expose their nefarious designs, in which they would never succeed.
Expressing his heartfelt sympathies with members of the bereaved families, the Governor expressed the confidence that the elements involved in such heinous crimes would be brought to justice.
He has also asked the people to continue their fullest cooperation with the law enforcement agencies and ensure lasting peace in the area.
The Governor also prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls, courage to the bereaved families to bear the irreparable loss with patience.