Khawarij militants wage war on education and unity in South Waziristan

South Waziristan: In a deeply troubling escalation of violence, militants identifying themselves as “Fidayeen Islam” have intensified attacks on the educational and religious foundations of South Waziristan, killing respected scholar Maulana Sanaullah and bombing a local school in Lower Azam Warsak’s Karha Bagh area.

According to local sources, Maulana Sanaullah—a revered religious teacher and community leader—was shot dead just a day after a school in the same area was destroyed in a targeted bomb blast. Threats have since been issued to students and teachers, warning them not to return to the classroom.

These incidents are being widely condemned as part of a calculated campaign by extremist elements aligned with the ideology of the Khawarij, a historical sect known for its violent rebellion and distortion of Islamic teachings. Community leaders and scholars across the region have expressed outrage over the attacks, calling them a betrayal of Islam’s core values.

“The murder of Maulana Sanaullah is not martyrdom—it is murder in defiance of divine instruction,” said a local elder. “The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ made the pursuit of knowledge a duty on every Muslim man and woman. Those who destroy schools and kill scholars are openly rebelling against this command.”

The attackers, operating under the guise of religious zeal, have instead targeted the very pillars of moral and intellectual strength within the Muslim community.

Experts and religious authorities have drawn parallels between these modern militants and the Khawarij, a group historically known for its extremism, takfiri ideology, and violent divisiveness. “Just like the Khawarij, these groups misuse religion as a weapon—not to defend Islam, but to dominate and divide Muslims,” said an Islamic scholar from Dera Ismail Khan.

Such attacks, observers warn, not only kill individuals but strike at the unity of the Ummah. By targeting scholars and schools, these groups are severing the lifelines of communal knowledge, trust, and resilience—making it easier for both internal collapse and external exploitation.

In the face of this onslaught, community leaders and scholars are calling for unity, courage, and steadfastness. “True martyrs are those who protect the right to learn, to teach, and to live with dignity—not those who destroy, threaten, and kill in the name of power,” said a madrassa principal in Tank.

The residents of Karha Bagh and neighboring areas continue to live under threat, but their resolve remains firm. In mosques, schools, and homes, the message is growing louder: Islam does not permit the killing of innocents, the destruction of schools, or the persecution of teachers. Knowledge is not a threat—it is the path to salvation.