Taliban Continue ‘War Tactics’ in Northwestern Pakistan

SOLIDARITY WITH GIRLS: A young girl in Karachi poses with a placard during a protest organized by a student organization representing students from Pakistan's Northwest Frontier Province on Jan. 28. She and others came out to condemn the recent attacks on girls' schools in Swat Valley. (Asif Hassan/AFP/Getty Images)

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan—Schools in Swat Valley in the north west frontier province of Pakistan are under severe attack by the Taliban, according to local Pakistani media.

In the last 10 months, the Taliban have destroyed approximately 172 schools; over 70 percent of which were girls only.

Recently, the group has increased its offensive against the Pakistani government by threatening to destroy more schools and kill students if the government does not close all female schools in the area and start implementing a religious curriculum in the rest of the schools. Most schools remain closed because staff and students fear for their lives.

One local paper, The News, quotes the Taliban leader, Muslim Khan, as saying: “At present, we are using the torching and bombing of schools as a war tactic against the government…”

The government of Pakistan has responded by strengthening its military operation against the Taliban, targeting hideouts across the Swat Valley.

In response to the threat to destroy schools, Sherry Rehman, Pakistani Minister for Information and Broadcasting, announced that all public girls schools in Swat Valley would reopen on Mar. 1, with the government willing and ready to provide security to prevent further destruction.