WANA: All students and teachers present at **Cadet College Wana** have been safely rescued as the ongoing operation against terrorists entered its final phase, security sources confirmed today.
A security official said, “The operation will conclude in a comprehensive manner,” adding that personnel are committed to eliminating the remaining terrorists present in the college premises. “The security operation will continue until the last terrorist is neutralized,” the source added.
A laborer rescued by security forces told The Express Tribune that construction of a mosque was underway inside the college at the time of the attack. He estimated that the number of terrorists involved could have exceeded three. Security officials confirmed that at least three terrorists were still hiding within the college premises but were not near the students’ residential block.
Students expressed strong resolve in the aftermath of the attack, praising the Pakistan Army for providing educational opportunities and peace in the region. One student said, “The Pakistan Army established this Cadet College for us so that we could gain education, peace, and progress. These cowardly terrorists have always wanted the children of Waziristan to remain deprived of education to impose their evil ideology. They tried once again but failed — and they will always fail.”
According to an ISPR statement issued Monday, the terrorists attempted to storm the college that morning, beginning with a suicide explosion at the main entrance that injured 15 civilians and four security personnel, including Naib Subedar Tabish, Lance Havaldar Shakeel, and soldiers Abdullah and Waqas. Security forces responded swiftly, killing two attackers and launching a clearance and search operation in the surrounding area.
On Tuesday, around 650 people were reported to have been stranded at the college. Independent media platform The Khorosan Diaries reported that security forces were devising a plan to safely evacuate all students and staff.
