In a continued wave of terrorism targeting girls’ education, militants bombed a portion of the Sofia Noor School in the Wana tehsil of South Waziristan, as reported by The News on Saturday. This attack is the latest in a series of incidents undermining education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
The Sofia Noor School, recently established with support from the Wana Welfare Association to serve the girls of this remote and underdeveloped district, was bombed on Friday. The blast occurred around 3 a.m., damaging part of the building but causing no casualties. This attack came just eight days after the Islamia Girls School was bombed in Sheva town of North Waziristan on May 9.
Since mid-2021, the north-western region of Pakistan has faced a resurgence of terror attacks, significantly impacting girls’ schools across KP. The persistent threat has instilled fear among residents, who have witnessed daily attacks on educational institutions for years.
According to reports, the Sofia Noor School had been receiving extortion demands from militant groups. A senior member of the Wana Welfare Association, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, revealed that the organization received a letter about a month ago from a militant group demanding a specific portion of their funding. This was followed by another letter demanding Rs10 million ($36,000) and subsequent threatening calls from Afghan numbers. The demands were allegedly from local Taliban factions.
The spokesperson for the Wana Welfare Association condemned the attack, emphasizing the community’s commitment to continue educating the new generation despite these threats. “Those who attacked the school want to keep the people of Waziristan deprived of education and development. However, this will not discourage us,” they said.
A district government official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, indicated that Taliban factions are extorting local traders, with non-compliance resulting in violent reprisals, including the bombing of homes and killings. This resurgence of violence follows a decade of relative peace achieved through police and security force operations, which had previously reduced such attacks.
The bombing of the Sofia Noor School in South Waziristan underscores the ongoing challenges to girls’ education in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa amidst a renewed wave of terrorism. Despite these threats, local communities and organizations remain resilient, determined to continue their efforts in providing education and development opportunities for future generations.
