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Taliban storm an elite army high school in Pakistan Pakistani forces reclaim school after ‘horrific’ Taliban attack kills at least 132
(about 1 hour later)
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Taliban militants disguised as soldiers stormed an elite army high school in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday, killing at least 132 students and teachers and bringing defiant pledges to strike back harder against terrorism after one of the country’s bloodiest days. ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Taliban gunmen disguised as soldiers stormed an elite army high school Tuesday, killing at least 132 students and teachers and bringing defiant calls from Pakistan’s prime minister for “unflinching resolve” after one of the country’s bloodiest days.
After a nine-hour battle, police officials said the siege was over and all the militants had been killed. There was no immediate confirmation from Pakistan’s military, although reporters on the scene could see several army convoys driving away from the school. After a nine-hour battle in Peshawar — in northwest Pakistan near the Afghan border — police officials said the siege was over and all the militants had been killed.
The carnage struck at the heart of Pakistan’s military — one of the nation’s most highly respected institutions — which is seen as the guardians of stability in a turbulent region and an important bridge between Pakistan and Western allies such as the United States. Army convoys drove from the scene even as families wept on the streets or carried hastily made plywood coffins to a hospital filled with the dead, many still wearing their green school blazers and sweaters.
In June, Pakistan’s army launched a major operation against Islamic militants in the country’s restive tribal areas. Since then, the number of attacks inside the country have sharply declined, but the Pakistani Taliban had been warning for months that it would retaliate. The carnage struck at the heart of Pakistan’s military, one of the nation’s most highly respected institutions, which is seen as the guardian of stability in a turbulent region and an important bridge between Pakistan and Western allies such as the United States.
In June, Pakistan’s army launched a major operation against Islamist militants in the country’s restive tribal areas. Since then, the number of attacks inside the country has sharply declined, but the Pakistani Taliban had been warning for months that it would retaliate.
The decision to target students brought a wave of condemnation and disgust from across the world — similar in ways to the outrage after a Taliban gunman shot Pakistan student activist Malala Yousafzai in 2012.
“I am heartbroken,” the 17-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate said in a statement just hours after the Peshawar attack.
“But we will never be defeated,” she added.
Officials with the provincial government said at least 132 bodies had been recovered. Most of the dead were teenagers. About 120 people were wounded.
In a statement, the Pakistani Taliban took credit for the attack, saying it was to avenge the Pakistan military operation in North Waziristan. The Taliban said six militants, including three suicide bombers, carried out the assault.
The tally of the “dead received” at Lady Reading Hospital showed how the young paid the heaviest price. Some of the dead were instructors in their 20s and 30s. But they were far outnumbered by student names and ages: 14, 15, 13. It was unclear whether the death toll could rise.
“My son was in uniform in the morning. He is in a casket now,” wailed one parent, Tahir Ali, as he collected the body of his 14-year-old son Abdullah, according to the Associated Press. “My son was my dream. My dream has been killed.”“My son was in uniform in the morning. He is in a casket now,” wailed one parent, Tahir Ali, as he collected the body of his 14-year-old son Abdullah, according to the Associated Press. “My son was my dream. My dream has been killed.”
Officials with the provincial government said at least 132 bodies had been recovered. Most of the dead were teenagers — most wearing their green school blazers and sweaters. It was unclear whether the death toll could rise. Pervaiz Khattak, chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, said eight to 10 terrorists wearing military uniforms carried out the attack. They started “indiscriminate firing” after entering the school through a back door.
Pervaiz Khattak, chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, said eight to 10 terrorists wearing military uniforms carried out the attack. He said they started “indiscriminate firing” after entering the school through a back door. The first students targeted were 9th and 10th graders gathered in the auditorium to receive first-aid training from military doctors, police said.
“We condemn it, and those who did it will not be spared,” said Khattak. Muhammad Harris, a 16-year-old student, said he was in a room with 30 students and four teachers when they heard a commotion in the hallway. The students said some of the attackers appeared to be speaking Arabic.
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Pakistani Army Chief Raheel Sharif rushed to Peshawar to personally oversee the rescue operation. “Our female teacher went outside when we heard the firing and was shot dead,” Harris said. “One attacker was crying, ‘Help me I am injured.’ But he was not and was trying to trap us and shoot us.”
A defiant Sharif denounced the school assault as a “cowardly act” and vowed to maintain the military operations against militants in tribal areas “until the menace of terrorism is eliminated from Pakistani soil.” “Then the army arrived and we were rescued,” he continued, “but I saw all the wounded and dead bodies when coming out.”
At the Lady Reading Hospital, 16-year-old Shahrukh Khan said he hid behind a desk as four gunmen entered the auditorium. He watched the gunmen calmly shoot anyone they could find. Then, from behind the desk, he saw two black boots approaching him, he told AFP.
Bullets them tore into both his legs below his knee.
“I saw death so close and I will never forget the black boots approaching me,” he said. “I felt as though it was death that was approaching me.”
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who rushed to Peshawar, denounced the school assault as a “cowardly act” and vowed to maintain the military operations against militants “until the menace of terrorism is eliminated from Pakistani soil.”
“The nation needs to get united and face terrorism,” he added. “There is no room for any reluctance and we need unflinching resolve against this plague.”“The nation needs to get united and face terrorism,” he added. “There is no room for any reluctance and we need unflinching resolve against this plague.”
The siege came less than a week after Malala Yousafzai collected her Nobel Peace Prize for work on behalf of children’s education after being shot by a Taliban gunman in Pakistan’s Swat Valley in 2012. “I am heartbroken,” she said in a statement just hours after the Peshawar attack.
“But we will never be defeated,” she added.
President Obama promised to stand by Pakistan — a key ally in the region — after an attack he described as “horrific.”President Obama promised to stand by Pakistan — a key ally in the region — after an attack he described as “horrific.”
“By targeting students and teachers in this heinous attack, terrorists have once again shown their depravity,” said a statement from Obama.“By targeting students and teachers in this heinous attack, terrorists have once again shown their depravity,” said a statement from Obama.
Across Pakistan, many residents were glued to televisions, shocked and horrified at the images of bloodied children being rushed into overwhelmed hospitals. Across Pakistan, many residents were glued to televisions, shocked and horrified at the images of bloodied children being ferried — many carried — to overwhelmed hospitals.
Mushtag Ghani, the information minister for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said many of the students were children of Pakistani military officers. Mushtag Ghani, the information minister for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said many of the students were the children of Pakistani military officers.
“They started firing at students participating in a function at the auditorium,” Ghani told local journalists gathered at the scene. “The terrorists wanted to kill as many people as they could and they seemed to be not interested in hostage taking.”
Ahsam Mukhtar, a student at the school, said he was in a classroom when the assault started.Ahsam Mukhtar, a student at the school, said he was in a classroom when the assault started.
“Our teacher told us to lie on the ground, but the firing went on and it was very loud.” Mukhtar said in a televised interview. “Then the army came and took us out of the classrooms. In the corridor, I saw dead bodies with bullet injuries in the head. Some had wounds in their arms. I also saw our mathematics teacher lying injured on the floor.”“Our teacher told us to lie on the ground, but the firing went on and it was very loud.” Mukhtar said in a televised interview. “Then the army came and took us out of the classrooms. In the corridor, I saw dead bodies with bullet injuries in the head. Some had wounds in their arms. I also saw our mathematics teacher lying injured on the floor.”
In a statement, the Pakistani Taliban took credit for the attack, saying it was to avenge the Pakistan military operation in North Waziristan. The Taliban said six militants, including three suicide bombers, carried out the assault.
The attack shattered what had been a period relative calm in Pakistan.The attack shattered what had been a period relative calm in Pakistan.
Hanan Askari Rizvi, a Pakistan military analyst, said in an interview the attack was an “unprecedented” even in a country that experienced thousands of terrorists attacks over the past decade.Hanan Askari Rizvi, a Pakistan military analyst, said in an interview the attack was an “unprecedented” even in a country that experienced thousands of terrorists attacks over the past decade.
He said the Taliban appears to growing more desperate as the Pakistan military operation against it continues in North Waziristan. He said the Taliban appears to be growing more desperate as the Pakistan military operation against it continues in North Waziristan.
“Now they are attacking the soft targets,” Rizvi said. “This horrendous act of terror shows that the terrorists have weakened after military operation and that’s why less number of attacks but they still have the ability to strike at soft targets. “Now they are attacking the soft targets,” Rizvi said. “This horrendous act of terror shows that the terrorists have weakened after military operation and that’s why less number of attacks but they still have the ability to strike at soft targets.”
Last month, a suicide bombing killed more than 50 people during a military ceremony at the main public crossing between Pakistan and India.Last month, a suicide bombing killed more than 50 people during a military ceremony at the main public crossing between Pakistan and India.
The death toll in Peshawar already has made it among the worst bloodshed at a school in decades.The death toll in Peshawar already has made it among the worst bloodshed at a school in decades.
In September 2004, more than 330 people were killed — nearly half of them children — after Islamist rebels seized control of a school in Beslan in North Ossetia in Russia’s North Caucasus region. Some sources have placed the Beslan death toll higher.In September 2004, more than 330 people were killed — nearly half of them children — after Islamist rebels seized control of a school in Beslan in North Ossetia in Russia’s North Caucasus region. Some sources have placed the Beslan death toll higher.
The Peshawar also rivals one of the worst death tolls in Pakistan in recent years. In October 2008, about 150 people were killed in Karachi after suicide bombers targeted celebrations welcoming back former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto after years in self-exile. The Peshawar incident also rivals one of the worst death tolls in Pakistan in recent years. In October 2008, about 150 people were killed in Karachi after suicide bombers targeted celebrations welcoming back former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto after years in self-exile.
Aimir Iqbal, Haq Nawaz Khan in Peshawar and Shaig Hussain in Islamabad contributed to this report.Aimir Iqbal, Haq Nawaz Khan in Peshawar and Shaig Hussain in Islamabad contributed to this report.