A devastating explosion destroyed a government primary school in North Waziristan during the late hours of Thursday night, 11 December 2025, leaving more than 600 children without access to educational facilities.

The attack occurred at the Government Primary School located in the Ayaz Kot area of Khushhali village within the Mir Ali tehsil, where unidentified assailants had planted explosives that obliterated a substantial portion of the building's structure.​

The school targeted in this incident was not merely another educational institution but held considerable significance for the local community. Officials from the district education department confirmed that the destroyed facility constituted the sole operational primary school serving the vicinity, making it an indispensable educational centre for the region.

The destruction of this critical infrastructure has left the enrolled student population, numbering over 600 children, without a classroom in which to continue their studies and severely disrupted educational activities throughout the locality.​

Following the blast, authorities implemented immediate security measures by cordoning off the damaged building to prevent further accidents or unauthorised access. District officials subsequently began formulating contingency arrangements to enable educational activities to resume in temporary spaces, thereby ensuring that the disruption to children's learning would be minimised as much as possible under the circumstances.

Preliminary investigations conducted by police revealed that evidence had been collected from the blast site, with the bomb disposal unit awaiting analysis to determine the precise type of explosive material that had been deployed in the attack.​

Initial technical assessments conducted by investigating authorities suggested that the explosive device had been detonated either through a remote-controlled mechanism or by means of a timing device, indicating a level of deliberation and planning in the execution of the attack. The powerful nature of the explosion was such that it was reportedly heard across considerable distances, underscoring the magnitude of the blast that reduced much of the school building to ruins.​

The response from the local community reflected profound dismay and anguish over the destruction of their educational facility. Community elders and parents expressed shock and anger, characterising the attack as a deliberate sabotage of their children's futures and their community's aspirations.

One respected elder from the area articulated the sentiment prevailing amongst residents, stating that "This school was the heart of our community and a source of hope for our children. Its destruction feels like an attack on our dreams." Such expressions underscored the deep emotional and social significance that the school held for families in the region who had depended upon it for their children's education.​

The incident raised serious questions regarding the government's capacity to provide adequate security for essential public institutions, particularly in regions characterised by persistent violence and instability. Security forces undertook immediate action by cordoning off the affected area and initiating a comprehensive search operation to locate those responsible for the attack and to identify any further threats that might exist.

However, at the time of reporting, no group or organisation had claimed responsibility for the bombing, leaving the motivations behind and perpetrators of the attack uncertain.​

The district administration issued an official condemnation of the bombing, categorising it as an "anti-education act" that undermined the broader development and peace-building initiatives occurring within the tribal regions.

Officials pledged their commitment to apprehending those culpable for the attack and ensuring they faced justice for their actions, though such assurances have been offered on previous occasions with varying degrees of success in volatile regions like North Waziristan.​

This incident represents part of a troubling pattern of attacks targeting educational institutions within North Waziristan and the broader Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The attack followed a separate but related incident that occurred on the same day, when a blast at a seminary in the Mir Ali area resulted in two children being killed and numerous others injured when they inadvertently detonated unexploded ordnance that security forces had previously warned residents about.

Furthermore, the current bombing adds to a succession of assaults on schools in the region, including an October 2025 explosion that partially damaged a girls' primary school in the Lakki Marwat district, an incident in May 2025 involving a private girls' school destroyed in Tehsil Shewa of North Waziristan, and attacks in May 2023 when two government schools for girls in Mirali were destroyed by unidentified militants.​

Analysts and security experts have emphasised that attacks targeting educational institutions do far more than merely damage physical infrastructure and displace students. Such incidents generate widespread fear and insecurity amongst families and local populations, whilst simultaneously undermining the long-term development prospects of affected communities by denying children access to schooling.

The persistent targeting of schools in regions such as North Waziristan illuminates the enduring security challenges that continue to characterise Pakistan's tribal regions, where armed groups maintain operational capacity despite government security operations and military interventions.

The destruction of educational facilities represents a particularly insidious form of destabilisation, as it simultaneously attacks the prospects for social development and stability whilst striking at the hopes and futures of vulnerable child populations.​

Based On ANI Report