Updated: 11.30 pm
Peshawar, Dec 16 (IANS): In one of the worst acts of human savagery ever perpetrated, the Pakistani Taliban senselessly slaughtered 141 people, 132 of them children, in a brazen terror attack launched by its heavily armed gunmen and suicide bombers on an army-run school in Pakistan's Peshawar city in retaliation to the army's operation against extremists in North Waziristan.
The horrifying attack was carried out by a group of paramilitary uniform-wearing terrorists who stormed the Army Public School complex in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, Pakistani media said.
The heartless attackers went on a rampage, massacring the school children, with many being shot in the head and chest from point blank range.
The vicious terror strike left 141 people, including 132 students, dead and more than 124 injured, Geo News reported.
The attack brought to mind Russia's Beslan school tragedy in which nearly 400 people were killed in 2004 by Chechen extremists.
Television footage showed the surviving school children shocked and in tears. Some of them had blood on their faces. One of the students was carried away on a stretcher while another leaned onto a security personnel who helped him away.
Frightened and traumatised children recalled the horror.
"We were in the auditorium. Suddenly firing started and our teacher asked us to lie down. After one hour, the army came for our rescue," a visibly shaken student rasped.
A teacher said the firing started from the back door of the auditorium. Soon after the terrorists struck, a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the school auditorium.
Another young student said: "It was the fourth period. We were in our classes. They (the terrorists) were carrying guns in their hands."
"Our principal told our teacher that the students have to be evacuated. Suddenly we saw army personnel arriving," he added.
The injured students writhed in pain, with their white shirts and green sweaters stained with blood. A child who was swathed in bandages was in tears as he narrated the terror attack.
The Pakistani Taliban, who had shot at Malala Yousufzai who went on to share the Nobel Peace Prize with India's Kailash Satyarthi, claimed responsibility for the attack that left Pakistan and the world numb with grief.
The terror group called it a "revenge attack" for army operations in North Waziristan.
The wounded and bloodied were taken away to hospitals, that later faced blood shortage, while anxious parents waited for news outside.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who flew down from Islamabad to Peshawar, said that till terrorism is not brought to an end in Pakistan, this kind of terror act will continue to happen.
"This is in retaliation of our military operation against the terrorists," said Sharif who called it an act of cowardice which will not be tolerated at any cost.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi too strongly condemned the "cowardly terrorist attack".
"It is a senseless act of unspeakable brutality that has claimed lives of the most innocent of human beings - young children in their school. My heart goes out to everyone who lost their loved ones today. We share their pain & offer our deepest condolences," Modi tweeted.
Army chief General Raheel Sharif cancelled his Quetta trip and reached Peshawar. Many of the children were sons and daughters of army personnel.
On Tuesday, witnesses said over 500 students and teachers were trapped inside the building and some of the wounded lay in the corridors. Many of the students were later evacuated. A school teacher said around 1,400 to 1,500 students study in the school.
As the terror attack progressed and the security forces encircled the school, a string of bombings took place. Over a dozen bomb blasts rang out as security forces took on the militants.
The students were initially under the impression that it was yet another army drill and the horror sank in only after they saw schoolmates being felled by bullets.
The school teachers apparently tried to shepherd the children to safety. Some were able to flee soon after the attack began at noon, while a few others were taken to safety by the security personnel who responded promptly.
Geo News said security forces had mounted a major operation to end the terror attack. Six terrorists have been killed in the operation.
The brazen attack has drawn condemnation across the political spectrum in Pakistan.
The Peshawar terror attack comes a day after a hostage crisis in Sydney, which ended with the Iranian-orgin gunman being killed.
Taliban slaughters 126 children in Peshawar school bloodbath, calls it 'revenge'
Earlier (With PTI Inputs)
Peshawar, Dec 16 (IANS): In one of the worst acts of human savagery ever perpetrated, the Pakistani Taliban senselessly slaughtered 126 school children in a brazen terror attack launched by its heavily armed gunmen and suicide bombers on an army-run school in Pakistan's Peshawar city in retaliation to Pakistan Army's operation against extremists in North Waziristan.
The horrifying attack was carried out by a group of paramilitary uniform-wearing terrorists who stormed the Army Public School complex in Peshawar, the capital of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, Pakistani media said.
The heartless attackers as went on a rampage, massacring the school children, with many being shot in the head and chest from point blank range. The vicious terror strike, state-run Radio Pakistan reported, left 126 students dead and 122 injured. ARY News put the toll at 129.
The attack brought to mind Russia's Beslan school tragedy in which nearly 400 people were killed in 2004 by Chechen extremists.
Television footage showed the surviving school children shocked and in tears. Some of them had blood on their faces. One of the students was carried away on a stretcher while another leaned onto a security personnel who helped him away.
Frightened and traumatised children recalled the horror.
"We were in the auditorium. Suddenly firing started and our teacher asked us to lie down. After one hour, the army came for our rescue," a visibly shaken student rasped.
A teacher said that the firing started from the back door of the auditorium. Soon after the terrorists struck, a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the school auditorium.
Another young student said: "It was the fourth period. We were in our classes. They (the terrorists) were carrying guns in their hands."
"Our principal told our teacher that the students have to be evacuated. Suddenly we saw army personnel arriving," he added.
The injured students writhed in pain, with their white shirts and green sweaters stained with blood. A child who was swathed in bandages was in tears as he narrated the terror attack.
Uday, a lab assistant at the school, narrated about the horror to reporters.
"Jab attack hua, hum school canteen mein baithey huwe they ...main chhup gaya, army ek ghante bad aayi...wo log class mein nahin they...per woh 6-7 they...firing bund thi ...per maine dekha unke paas bade bade rifle they (We were in canteen when the attack occurred. I hid myself...the army arrived after an hour....but the terrorists were not in classrooms...they were six to seven of them...the firing had stopped...but terrrorists had big rifles with them)."
One of the parents, who rushed to the school after the attack, questioned the possibility of terrorists entering such a school.
"Hum khud jab school jate hain to hamari checking hoti hai...hamari gadiyon ki checking hoti hai...phir ye dehshatgarg ghus kaise gaye? Ye badi hairani hai (When we visit the school, even we are searched along with our vehicles. So this is quite shocking and mysterious to all of us. How could terrorists enter such a building?"
The Taliban, which had shot at Malala Yousufzai who went on to share the Nobel Peace Prize with India's Kailash Satyarthi, claimed responsibility for the attack that left Pakistan and the world numb with grief. The terror group called it a "revenge attack" for the army operations in North Waziristan.
The wounded and bloodied were taken away to hospitals, that later faced blood shortage, while anxious parents waited for news outside.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who flew down from Islamabad to Peshawar, said that till terrorism is not brought to an end in Pakistan, this kind of terror act will continue to happen.
"This is in retaliation of our military operation against the terrorists," said Sharif who called it an act of cowardice which will not be tolerated at any cost.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi too strongly condemned the "cowardly terrorist attack".
"It is a senseless act of unspeakable brutality that has claimed lives of the most innocent of human beings - young children in their school. My heart goes out to everyone who lost their loved ones today. We share their pain & offer our deepest condolences," Modi tweeted.
Army chief General Raheel Sharif cancelled his Quetta trip and reached Peshawar. Many of the children were sons and daughters of army personnel.
On Tuesday, eyewitnesses said, over 500 students and teachers were trapped inside the building and some of the wounded lay in the corridors. Many of the students were later evacuated. A school teacher said that around 1,400 to 1,500 students study in the school.
As the terror attack progressed and the security forces encircled the school, a string of bombings took place. Over a dozen bomb blasts rang out as security forces took on the militants.
The students were initially under the impression that it was yet another army drill and the horror sank in only after they saw schoolmates being felled by bullets.
The school teachers apparently tried to shepherd the children to safety. Some were able to flee soon after the attack began at noon, while a few others were taken to safety by the security personnel who responded promptly.
Geo News said that security forces had mounted a major operation to end the terror attack. Six terrorists have been killed in the operation.
The brazen attack has drawn condemnation across the political spectrum in Pakistan.
The Peshawar terror attack comes a day after a hostage crisis in Sydney, which ended with the Iranian-orgin gunman being killed.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesman claimed that its six suicide bombers attacked army school, saying it was a revenge for the army's operation against militants in the North Waziristan tribal area close to Peshawar.
"We want them to feel our pain," the spokesman said.
The army had launched a massive military operation 'Zarb- e-Azb' in June following a brazen militant attack on Karachi's international airport and the failure of peace talks between the government and the Taliban negotiators.
The military has said more than 1,300 militants have been killed during the operation in North Waziristan and adjacent tribal region and it will continue till militancy was completely wiped out of Pakistan.
Meanwhile, senior minister Hidaytullah told reporters that the death toll in today's could rise as still operation was going on and attackers have taken hundreds as hostages.
Opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Imran Khan, whose party rules Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, termed the attack as an act of "barbarism".
Shagufta, who lives near the school, told Geo TV that she heard two explosions, a smaller one followed by a huge bang.
A student who identified himself as Shuja told Samaa TV that they were taking examination when firing started.
They were told by the teacher to lie down on the floor.
He said they remained on floor for about one hour when army soldiers came and told them to go out.
Several students escaped through the back gate. One of students who escaped told Dunya TV that fourth period was in progress when they heard firing.
"First we didn't know what has happened. But late an army officer told us to escape through back gate," he said.
A welcome ceremony planned in Lahore for the hockey team which won silver medal in the champion trophy in India has been postponed.
Pakistan Hockey Federation said that the ceremony would be held at a future suitable time.
Some students and staff gave the first-hand account of the terrorist attack on the school, which is known for its strict security checks even on normal days.
Taliban say targeted school in revenge for military attacks
Dec 16 (Reuters): The Taliban attacked a military-run school on Tuesday, killing over 100 students, because they wanted revenge for the Pakistani military targeting their own families, a spokesman said.
"We selected the army's school for the attack because the government is targeting our families and females," said Taliban spokesman Muhammad Umar Khorasani. "We want them to feel the pain."