7 Pakistani children killed when school roof collapses: Official

The roof of a school collapsed under heavy rain in Pakistan's northwest near Afghanistan on Tuesday, killing seven children and injuring 13 others, police said.

Azam Khan, a local police official, said the incident took place in the district of North Waziristan. He said the children were between the ages of 4 and 14.

“Unfortunately, all the children who were martyred or injured in this incident were receiving Islamic education at the madrassa,” Khan said.

Rescue workers recovered the bodies and transported injured students to the area's main hospital, he said.

Rains in Pakistan often damage homes and other structures because of poor construction quality and many homes are made of mud brick.

North Waziristan served as the headquarters of Pakistan's Taliban and foreign militants until 2017 after security forces in a series of operations dismantled their network and killed or arrested scores of them.

The region has dozens of schools where children receive Islamic education.