Militants torch school in eastern Afghan province

JALALABAD, Afghanistan - Armed Taliban militants have set a school on fire in Afghanistan's eastern province Nangarhar, authorities said Tuesday.

"The incident occurred around 3:00 am Tuesday when the Taliban stormed Hazaar Naw High School in Muhmand Dara district. A major portion of administrative building of the school burned and amounts of documents were destroyed by the blaze," the provincial government said in a statement.

However, officials and locals put out the fire before it spread to classrooms and other parts of the building, the statement added.

No one was hurt in the incident and the school was opened for students Tuesday morning.

More than 9.5 million Afghan children with around 40 percent of them girls attend 15,000 schools across the country, while over 3.5 million school age children have no access to education due to poverty, conflicts and insurgency, according to education officials.