TIMERGARA The torching of five more schools by militants in Maidan on Thursday night seems to belie military authorities' claim of clearing 80 per cent of the area during its ongoing offensive.

Sources said an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by militants inside the Government Higher Secondary School, Zaimdara, exploded with a big bang, destroying a portion of the newly-constructed building.

Militants also destroyed the Government Primary School in Zaimdara, residents said.

Similarly, sources said, militants set on fire the Government High School, Bandai, Government High School, Chinar Kot, and the Government Primary School in the Gorh area of Maidan tehsil, Lower Dir.

A total of 49 schools had been damaged by militants or security forces' shelling in the region, an official of the education department told Dawn.

The military authorities and government functionaries have declared time and again that the area has been cleared of militants, but incidents of destruction of schools by militants are still continuing.

DISPLACED PEOPLE
Special Support Group chief Major-General Nadeem Ahmad has said 65 per cent internally displaced persons have returned to their hometowns.

Speaking at a gathering of Maidan IDPs and elders at a relief camp in Timergara during his first visit to the area on Friday, he said the IDPs would not be forced to return home, but if they wished the government would facilitate them.

He also announced to provide two ambulances and a 100KV power generator to the District Headquarters Hospital and another 100KV generator to the IDPs camp set up in the Government Girls Degree College of Timergara.