Islamabad/Peshawar: Six terrorists, dressed in army uniforms who took over an Army school in Peshawar, have been killed while the security forces were sweeping the last block of the school.
The sweep was delayed because of IED devices planted by terrorists.
The current death toll, according to sources, is over 132 with over 245 injured .
At least six militants stormed into the Army Public School at Warsak road in Peshawar taking over 1500 students hostage.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack, TTP commander Muhammad Khorasani claimed all the six gunmen are suicide attackers. He added the terrorists have been ordered to shoot older students and leave the young ones. According to reports, the group said,”We targeted school as army targets our families,we want them to feel our pain.”Â
Militants entered the Army Public School through the graveyard on naseem rizvi road, and although there were other schools in the vicinity, it seems their target was the army school.
One student 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 (er) an army officer told us to escape through (the) back gate,” he said.
The terrorists occupied two major blocks of the school, the upper secondary section in which at least 1000 students were present while another block where children were giving their exams were also taken hostage.
Eyewitnesses said the injured were hit by at least three to four bullets. The children giving their exams were around 500 in number.
Security forces have entered the school but have not yet entered the classes. They are also searching the surrounding areas of school to tackle any other terrorists that may be supporting the militants inside.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned the attack and said those behind the heinous act will not be spared. On reaching Peshawar, Sharif said he will be monitoring the situation and announced three day nationwide mourning.
Neighbour, India issued a statement condemning the “horrific attack on innocent school children”. The ministry of external affairs tweeted ,”feeling of deep revulsion and horror about this terror attack against innocent children.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted “my heart goes out to everyone who lost their loved ones today. We share their pain & offer our deepent condolenses.”
Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted, “the news from #Pakistan is deeply shocking, it’s horrifying that children are being killed simply for going to school.”
This is a major terror attack after Pakistan Army has initiated it’s offensive against the Taliban militants in North Waziristan and Khyber Agency. The TTP commander has called on the army to stop it’s operation with immediate effect against the militants in North Waziristan and Khyber Agency.
He also claimed the group to be keeping a constant touch with the terrorists inside and checking on the army response.
On the other hand Inter Services Public Relation (ISPR) of the army has claimed that 80% of the operation has been completed. And the terrorists have been pushed and confined to last four blocks of the school. ISPR have announced that 5 terrorists have been killed.
The attack also comes at a time the army gave a go ahead to send back the IDPs back to their homes. There are over 1 million IDPs from north Waziristan while over 200000 from Khyber Agency. While terrorists want to prove that the army’s operation against them is not successful, they have also now made sure the repatriation of IDPs does not happen in the coming days.
(With inputs from news desk)