Gunmen destroy school in Nangarhar

JALALABAD (PAN): Unidentified gunmen blew up a school building in the eastern Nangarhar province after overpowering the guards, an official said on Thursday.

The incident took place at around 10 pm on Wednesday when armed men tied up two guards at the school and blew up the building in Sholana village of Chaparhar district, said Mohammad Asif Shinwari, the education department spokesperson.

He told Pajhwok Afghan News that an office room, eight classrooms, 28 tents, text books and other materials were burnt in the explosion.

After carrying out the act the militants released the two guards and managed to flee from the scene, he said.

Nearly 1,390 female and 1,250 male students are currently studying in the school.

Since March 2011 it was the fourth school building that militants destroyed in the district.

No one has so far claimed responsibility for the Sholana village incident, while a Taliban spokesman said they were against government’s education system, but denied any role in school burnings.

myn/vp