Posted on 12/16/2014 6:23:16 AM PST by Red Badger
PESHAWAR, Pakistan Uniformed militants attacked a school, killing at least 126 people and taking hostages on Tuesday, an official said - an atrocity condemned by the U.S. as "senseless and inhumane."
"The gunmen entered class by class and shot some kids one by one," a student who was in the school at the time told local media.
Provincial official Bahramand Khan said at least 126 people were killed and 122 injured. More than 100 of the dead were school children, he added. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the assault, which appeared to be targeting the the children of senior military officials.
Bombs planted by the attackers slowed rescue efforts, a military official said, adding that operations at the scene were "closing up".
Commandos exchanged fire with gunmen who entered the Army Public School in Peshawar. Five "heavy" explosions were heard from the school at around 5 a.m. ET. The Pakistani military later said six Taliban militants had been killed.
About 500 students and teachers were believed to be inside the site when gunfire erupted, although it was unclear how many remained inside the school.
Peshawar Father: 'They Can't Find my Son, Dead or Alive' NBC News
A military source who spoke on the condition of anonymity told NBC News that the attackers were wearing police uniforms and suicide vests. "They burnt a teacher in front of the students in a classroom," he added. "They literally set the teacher on fire with gasoline and made the kids watch."
Some child hostages were thought to be held at gunpoint by militants in the school's main auditorium. The military-run school has students in grades one through 10.
Wounded student Abdullah Jamal told The Associated Press he was getting first-aid instructions and training with a team of Pakistani army medics when the violence began for real. When the shooting started, Jamal said nobody knew what was going on in the first few seconds. "Then I saw children falling down who were crying and screaming. I also fell down. I learned later that I have got a bullet," he said, speaking from his hospital bed. He had been shot in the leg.
"We were standing outside the school and firing suddenly started and there was chaos everywhere and the screams of children and teachers," said Jamshed Khan, a school bus driver.
Dozens of Children Killed as Taliban Gunmen Storm Peshawar School NBC News
Television images showed anxious parents gathering on the street near the school, as gunfire and explosions were heard nearby.
"My son was in uniform in the morning. He is in a casket now," cried one parent, Tahir Ali, as he came to a hospital to collect the body of his 14-year-old son Abdullah. "My son was my dream. My dream has been killed."
Malala Yousafzai, campaigner for girls and joint winner of the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize, said the attack was "atrocious and cowardly," adding that she was "heartbroken by this senseless and cold blooded act of terror." In a statement, she said: "I, along with millions of others around the world, mourn these children, my brothers and sisters - but we will never be defeated."
Kailash Satyarthi, the Indian children's rights advocate who shared the Nobel prize with her, wrote on Twitter: "These are all our children who've been murdered today. My heart bleeds for bereaved families. One of the darkest days of humanity."
The U.S. stands "in solidarity" with the people of Pakistan and "strongly condemns senseless and inhumane attacks on innocent students and educators," Ambassador Richard Olson said in a statement. "Few have suffered more at the hands of terrorists and extremists than the people of Pakistan. That is why it remains essential for the United States and Pakistan to continue to work together to secure peace and stability in the region."
Pakistan's military carried out 10 airstrikes in the Khyber region, between Peshawar and the Afghanistan border, based on "actionable intelligence" according to a spokesman.
The Pakistani Taliban has vowed to attack government targets as it fights off a huge army operation in the country's tribal region.
Taliban spokesman Muhammad Umar Khorasani told Reuters his group was responsible for the attack. "Our suicide bombers have entered the school, they have instructions not to harm the children, but to target the army personnel," he said.
The Taliban seems a lot like ISIS. What could these two groups possibly have in common?
What happens in Pakistan should stay in Pakistan.
Ban all travel into the USA from Pakistan. The simplest, cheapest, most effective “anti-terror” measure we could take.
muslim children killed by muslim men in the name of allah
Yeah, killing their children will teach those Pak military officers a lesson
more like another generation or 2 of vendetta set in place
and we wait to be lectured by our state department about peaceful islam
Hey Muhammad, you're overdue for your dirt nap.
they both negotiate secretly with and get a lot of loot and stuff from Obama peeps?
Well we can be sure this is a problem with nothing to do with Islam.
Face it. Islamic culture is not compatible with the institutions, values, scientific and social advances that constitute modernity. These barbaric jihadist reactionaries are fighting to reestablish the customs and practices of the 11th century. They are an abhorrent aberration to the West but are actually are constant product of their warped culture. Muslim countries are doomed to become bizarre impoverished backwaters. The West should not sacrifice one more brave soldier in the region. They cannot be changed by force or reason. However the West should prepare for the inevitable migration of impoverished but still fervent refugee who will try to enter the lands formerly known as Christendom.
the barbarians burned a female teacher alive in front of her students and beheaded other children
its about a sect of misogyny masquerading as morality and being given deference and respect by the likes of the pope, obama and world leaders
Peshawar school attack: Taliban’s ‘revenge’ for Malala Yousafzai’s Nobel Peace Prize
We're not dealing with common animals here!
Let's try and empathize with these mongrels, O.K.?
Oh, those fun-loving, peaceful “religion of peace” adherents. moozlums...they want to murder you and your family.
It has never been a ‘Clash of Civilizations’, it is a ‘Clash WITH Civilization’...................
#I’llBeheadYou
People like that are either stupid, naive, ignorant or one of them.................
I’M BEHEADING YOU
With Apologies to: Sammy Fain and lyrics by Irving Kahal.
I’m beheading you in all the old familiar places
That this heart of mine embraces all day through
In that small café, the park across the way
The children’s carousel, the chestnut trees, the wishing well
I’m beheading you in every lovely summer’s day
In everything that’s light and gay
I’ll always think of you that way
I’ll find you in the mornin’ sun
And when the night is new
I’ll be looking at the moon
But I’m beheading you
——— instrumental break ———
I’ll find you in the mornin’ sun
And when the night is new
I’ll be looking at the moon
But I’m beheading you
It’s only tuesday and the sons of Allah have killed nearly 200 people this week...of the stories that we know of.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.