Wana Cadet College attack: 115 evacuated, hundreds still trapped inside building

WANA: Security forces have evacuated at least 115 people, mostly students, during a rescue operation at Wana Cadet College, sources said.

The operation is ongoing against three militants holed up inside the college building. Around 650 people, including 525 cadets, were present on campus when the attack took place.

Officials said the militants, believed to be Afghan nationals, were reportedly receiving instructions by telephone from across the border. They are hiding in a building located some distance away from the cadets’ residential blocks.

Security personnel are carrying out the clearance operation with extreme caution to ensure the cadets’ safety and minimise risks.

The attack follows an incident on 10 November, when Afghan militants rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the college’s main gate. The blast destroyed the gate and damaged nearby buildings. Army personnel responded swiftly, killing two attackers on the spot.

Security forces have cordoned off the area and restricted the militants to a single building inside the campus before launching the rescue operation. CCTV footage from the college shows the suicide vehicle striking the main gate and damaging adjacent structures.