Peshawar, March 31 At least nine militants were killed in an operation by Pakistani security forces following an attack on a government school in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, police said on Tuesday.
The militants stormed the Government High School Khwaja Mir Kalay in the Aka Khel area of Bara Tehsil, Khyber district, on Monday, apparently in an attempt to seize control of the building.
During the attack, the militants removed the national flag and raised their own flag on the school building.
Security forces responded quickly, engaging the militants in a fierce gun battle.
Following the exchange of fire, nine militants were killed, and the forces regained control of the school, restoring the national flag on top of the building.
The militants had circulated a video on social media showing their control of the school and the raising of their flag, apparently as a propaganda effort.
Following the attack, security forces launched a large-scale search and clearance operation in the surrounding areas to track down any remaining assailants and their facilitators.
The school has since been fully cleared, and the situation is reported to be under control.