LANDI KOTAL, July 21: Militants blew up two schools and as many bridges in Bara while an oil tanker was targeted with an explosive device in Landi Kotal area of Khyber Agency.

Official sources said that a government middle school in Akkakhel and a primary school for girls in Shalobar were completely destroyed when huge quantity of explosives, planted by militants in the buildings, exploded at midnight on Wednesday.

Militants also destroyed two bridges in Shalobar, causing suspension of traffic between the area and other parts of Bara. With the destruction of the two schools, the number of destroyed educational institutions, according to official figures, has risen to 56 in Khyber Agency since the start of military operation in September 2009.

In Landi Kotal, a Nato oil tanker was partially damaged when a magnet bomb attached to its rear portion exploded on Thursday morning. Officials said that they took the driver and cleaner of the vehicle into custody after the incident because two cabins of the tanker were empty at the time of explosion.

Officials said that they suspected the driver of stealing fuel. The explosion was carried out to hide the theft of thousands litres of fuel, they alleged. — Ibrahim Shinwari