MINGORA, Oct 7: The Missionary Girls High School Sangota and semi-government Excelsior College Swat also fell prey to unabated militancy in the restive scenic valley as Taliban blew up these historical educational institutions on Monday night.

After a series of seven blasts, the militants also kidnapped four staffers, including two police guards, of the institutions and shifted them to undisclosed location, residents said. Taliban spokesman also confirmed it.

After targeting over hundred educational institutions, the militants did not hesitate to explode the Wali Swat-era old school and college.

Justifying destruction of these institutions, Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan told journalists in Mingora Press Club by telephone from unspecified place that there was coeducation in those institutions and Christianity was preached to mislead Muslim youth.

The masked militants entered the school and college late on Monday night and took hostage the guards as well as other staffers residing there at gunpoint. After planting improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in both the institutions they detonated the explosives which went off with a big bang one after another.

The series of seven explosions was so sever that their sounds were heard in far-flung areas of Mingora, the regional headquarters.

Besides major portions of the school and college, residents said, the furniture and official record of the school and college was also destroyed. Police said that apart from laboratories and offices, classrooms were also razed to grounds.

Both the institutions, sponsored by the British government, are located at a few kilometres distance from Mingora city. Due to excellent educational record and green lush picturesque valley of Swat both the institutions were popular throughout NWFP and students from all parts of the province were enrolled there.

According to official record 1100 students were getting education in the Excelsior College Swat while 1000 students were enrolled in girls school Sangota.

The college was established in 1991 while the school was built in 1965. The foundation of Sangota School was laid by late Wali Swat Mian Gull Jehan Zeb but later on it was handed over to British government.

The kidnapped police guards were identified as Amir Mohammad and Gohar Ali while the other two kidnapped employees included Sabir Hussain and Jan Masseh.

The Taliban spokesman claimed responsibility for the explosions, saying that all the four persons were in their custody. He said that an important meeting of Taliban Shura with Mullah Fazlullah in the chair was in progress, adding the people of Swat would soon hear good news within next couple of days.