NORTH WAZIRISTAN: Three people, including a school principal, were injured on Tuesday when unknown assailants targeted a private school with a quadcopter attack in Mirali subdivision of North Waziristan, officials said.

According to them, the incident took place in Khasokhel village, where an explosive device was dropped from a quadcopter onto the premises of the school. At the time of the attack, the school principal and a security guard were present on the campus and sustained injuries in the explosion.

Local residents said the attack triggered panic in the area, forcing people living near the school to rush out of their homes in fear. A local elder told Dawn that targeting a school through a drone attack was “an act of hostility against education and a dangerous assault on the lives of innocent children.”

Soon after the incident, a Rescue 1122 medical team reached the site to provide first aid and evacuate the injured. However, officials said that while rescue personnel were engaged in relief work, another quadcopter dropped a mortar shell near the scene, injuring a rescue worker.

Residents strongly condemned the attack on rescue workers, calling it highly deplorable.

Rescue officials said their personnel reached the area despite serious security threats and continued their duties under life-threatening conditions.

“All the injured were provided initial medical treatment and later shifted to Bannu for further care, where their condition was stated to be stable,” a Rescue 1122 official said. Government authorities confirmed that an investigation into the incident was underway, while no militant group had so far claimed responsibility for the attack.

Parents and social figures expressed grave concern over the incident, stating that attacks on educational institutions and emergency service providers were unacceptable.

They urged the government to take immediate and effective security measures to ensure the safety of students, teachers, and civilians in the region.

Published in Dawn, January 5th, 2026