MINGORA, July 25: A girls’ school and 13 shops were blown up in a fresh wave of bombings in Swat on Friday.

Local people said an explosive device damaged the Government Girls’ High School in Totano Bandai area in Kabal tehsil.

The bomb destroyed 10 classrooms and two staff offices.

Several nearby homes were partially damaged in the explosion. No group has claimed responsibility for the blast.

At least 39 girls’ schools were blown up or set ablaze by militants in Swat last month.

Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan said his group was not behind the blast and laid blame on a ‘third party’.

He said that local Taliban were not against girls’ education although they opposed the system of women’s education in the country.

The shops were in a market in Charbagh area and destroyed on Friday evening.

An electricity pylon was blown up in Dagorak area of Charbagh on Thursday night, causing disruption in power supply to Kalam, Behrain, Gulibagh, Madian and Upper Swat through the 11,000 KV transmission line.

A police checkpost came under fire in the same tehsil.

However, the assailants fled after police fired back.

A barber shop was set on fire in Gulibagh area of Charbagh tehsil.

ARRESTED: Ten suspected militants were arrested as security forces resumed search and cordon operation in Swat after a couple of weeks’ calm.

The troops imposed curfew on Mongora-Matta road for two hours from 5pm to 7pm and cordon off all routes to Sherpalam area.

The arrested militants were being interrogated.
Source: Dawn
Date:7/26/2008