Police say explosion goes off near school, convoy in NW Pakistan, casualties feared

Police: Blast goes off near school in NW Pakistan

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — An explosion near a girls’ school along the Afghan border in northwest Pakistan wounded several people Wednesday, police said.

Local TV channels reported foreign aid workers and security officials were among the casualties, but officials would not confirm that.

The explosion rocked the Shahi Koto area of Lower Dir district as people were heading to an inauguration ceremony for the school, local police official Nawaz Khan said. The exact cause was not immediately clear.

A convoy that included security officials was hit during the blast as well.

The area is remote, making it difficult to verify information independently. It’s also dangerous, having been a crossroads for Taliban militants for some time.

As part of its offensive against the militants in the northwest’s Swat Valley, the Pakistani army has carried out operations in Lower Dir. Local tribes have also set up militias to root out insurgents taking refuge in the area.

The exact target of the blast was not certain, but security forces and girls’ schools have both been frequently attacked by militants in Pakistan’s northwest.