File photo: Pakistan army soldiers.
Credit: Reuters
Peshawar: Nine children, including three girls, were injured when a drone struck a madrassa in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, officials said on Friday.
The drone targetted the religious seminary located in Shadikhel village in Tank district on Thursday while children were attending classes, they said.
Rescue 1122 teams rushed to the spot and shifted the injured to the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital in Tank, officials said.
Hospital authorities confirmed that the injured comprised three girls and six boys, adding that all were out of danger.
Police have launched an investigation into the incident. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.
Following the strike, local residents led by clerics staged a sit-in protest at the main chowk in Tank district, condemning the targeting of the madrassa as a barbaric act.
Traffic on major roads remained suspended and markets were closed for several hours due to the protest.
District Police Officer Shabbir Hussain reached the protest site to help control the situation and held negotiations with the clerics.
Later, DPO Hussain, Additional Deputy Commissioner Naimatullah, and Assistant Commissioner Sajid Khan held talks with the agitators, which led to the temporary suspension of the protest.
The protesters urged the administration to take the incident and ensure strict action against those responsible.