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| Dozens of children believed killed in Taliban attack on Pakistan school | Dozens of children believed killed in Taliban attack on Pakistan school |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Up to 84 children have been killed in a Taliban attack on an army-run school in the Pakistani city of Peshawar. | |
| The attack - claimed by the Pakistani Taliban - was led by militants wearing army uniform on the school, which teaches the children of military personnel and civilians. Hundreds of children were thought to be in the school when the attack began. | |
| Waqar-Ullah Khattack, one of four teachers invigilating an exam at the school, said he and colleagues immediately told students to get down on the floor when they heard AK47 rounds and grenade blasts at 11am. | |
| After less than an hour they were led to safety by commandos, past the bodies of at least seven dead children. “I have no words for this type of terrorism because we are all just too mentally upset,” he said. | |
| Pervaiz Khattak, chief minister of the province where Pehsawar is located, told local television channels there were 60 children dead in a military hospital and 24 in another. | |
| In a sign of the scale of the attack, the second hospital, the Lady Reading, put an appeal for blood. | |
| The Pakistani prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, said the attack was a “national tragedy” as he left for Peshawar. | |
| Gunfire and helicopters were heard outside the school as troops surrounded the building and ambulances carried the wounded to hospital. | Gunfire and helicopters were heard outside the school as troops surrounded the building and ambulances carried the wounded to hospital. |
| Details were sketchy in the unfolding situation and it was unclear what was going on inside. Around 500 students and teachers were believed to be present. | Details were sketchy in the unfolding situation and it was unclear what was going on inside. Around 500 students and teachers were believed to be present. |
| The army said in a statement that many hostages had been evacuated but did not say how many. | The army said in a statement that many hostages had been evacuated but did not say how many. |
| “Rescue operation by troops under way. Exchange of fire continues. Bulk of student(s) and staff evacuated. Reports of some children and teachers killed by terrorist,” the army said in a brief English-language statement. | “Rescue operation by troops under way. Exchange of fire continues. Bulk of student(s) and staff evacuated. Reports of some children and teachers killed by terrorist,” the army said in a brief English-language statement. |
| The attack began in the morning hours, with the gunmen entering the school and shooting at random, said a police officer, Javed Khan. Army commandos quickly arrived at the scene and exchanged fire with the gunmen, he said. | The attack began in the morning hours, with the gunmen entering the school and shooting at random, said a police officer, Javed Khan. Army commandos quickly arrived at the scene and exchanged fire with the gunmen, he said. |
| One student inside the school at the time of the attack told a private television channel: “We were in the examination hall when all of sudden firing started and our teachers told us to silently lie on the floor. We remained on the floor for an hour. There was a lot of gunfire.” | One student inside the school at the time of the attack told a private television channel: “We were in the examination hall when all of sudden firing started and our teachers told us to silently lie on the floor. We remained on the floor for an hour. There was a lot of gunfire.” |
| The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack. | The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack. |
| It comes as the Pakistani military wages a major offensive against Taliban and other militants in the tribal area of North Waziristan. The Pakistani Taliban, who are fighting to topple the government and set up a strict Islamic state, have vowed to step up attacks against Pakistani targets in response. | It comes as the Pakistani military wages a major offensive against Taliban and other militants in the tribal area of North Waziristan. The Pakistani Taliban, who are fighting to topple the government and set up a strict Islamic state, have vowed to step up attacks against Pakistani targets in response. |