Peshawar Attack in Pakistan
Friday, 26 December 2014 posted at 05:02
The Taliban gunmen who stormed a school in Pakistan killing 148 people, including 132 children, have been identified by the militant group.
The Pakistani Taliban released the pictures as they issued a statement claiming the attack was justified because the Pakistani army had long been killing innocent children and families of their fighters.
Pakistani Taliban spokesman Mohammad Khurasani also vowed more attacks as he warned civilians to detach themselves from all military institutions.
The walls were riddled with bullet holes, an auditorium floor that was covered in blood and a burnt out office.
Taliban gunmen broke into the school before opening fire and killing 132 children, and wounding another 121 along with three staff, in the bloodiest massacre in the country for a number of years.
Maj Gen Bajwa said the attackers made their way into the main auditorium and started shooting randomly at the students, who had gathered for an event.
Students were shot by the gunmen as they tried to flee. Around 100 bodies were later recovered from the auditorium alone, Maj Gen Bajwa said.
There have also been reports that some of the female teachers were burned alive during the attack.
Army commandos fought the Taliban throughout the day until the school was cleared and all the attackers were reported to have been killed, eight hours after the siege had started.
Wounded children taken to hospital told Reuters news agency how most of the victims were killed when gunmen, wearing explosive strapped to their bodies, started to fire indiscriminately on students and their teachers.
Shahrukh Khan, 15, who was shot in both legs but survived by hiding under a bench, said: "One of my teachers was crying, she was shot in the hand and she was crying in pain,"
"One terrorist then walked up to her and started shooting her until she stopped making any sound. All around me were my friends lying injured and dead."
The Pakistani Taliban, which is fighting to topple the government and set up an Islamic state, immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.
"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."
A three-day mourning period has been declared by the government as funerals started to be held for the victims.
Summary by: Nur Qistina Aneesa
Labels: Nur Qistina Aneesa
