ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s security forces are continuing a clearance operation at Cadet College Wana, where three India-backed terrorists remain trapped inside a building, security sources said on Wednesday.

According to the sources, around 650 people, including 525 cadets, were present at the college when the attack took place. So far, 115 individuals have been safely rescued, while nearly 535 remain inside the premises. Security forces are conducting the operation with utmost caution to ensure the cadets’ safety.

The three attackers, reportedly of Afghan origin, have been confined to an administrative block and are receiving instructions over the phone from handlers across the border, the sources added. The area has been completely cordoned off, and the evacuation of cadets is progressing gradually.

On November 10, the terrorists rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the college’s main gate, destroying it completely and damaging nearby buildings. Security troops responded swiftly, killing two attackers on the spot, while the remaining three were cornered inside the compound.

Security officials said the attack was orchestrated by India-sponsored proxies aiming to spread fear by targeting educational institutions and innocent children. They added that the incident disproves claims made by Afghan Taliban authorities that such militants are not operating from Afghan territory.

The terrorists are believed to be linked with an Indian proxy outfit, “Fitna al-Khawarij” or “Fitna al-Hindustan,” and reportedly tried to replicate the 2014 Army Public School massacre in Peshawar. A message circulating on social media, allegedly from Jaish al-Hind leader Irshadullah Irshad, warned parents not to enroll their children in the college, claiming it trained people against their group.

“The aim of the attack was to instill fear among parents and students pursuing education in the tribal districts,” the sources said, stressing that such cowardly acts will not weaken Pakistan’s resolve to fight terrorism.

Cadet College Wana, established at the request of local tribes, provides modern education to children of the Mehsud and Wazir tribes and has produced graduates serving across the country.

“The operation will continue until the last terrorist is eliminated,” the sources asserted, adding, “Pakistan reserves the right to respond to the terrorist leadership and their networks operating from Afghan soil.”

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif saluted the soldier who stood against the suicide bombers, saving the lives of schoolchildren, in a post on his social media X.

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115 rescued as security forces continue clearance at Cadet College Wana