At least 100 people have been killed, including 84 children, after Taliban gunmen stormed a military school in the north-western Pakistani city of Peshawar, in one of the worst ever militant attacks to hit the troubled region.
The attack started with the gunmen entering the 500-pupil school — which has students in grades 1-10, thought to be ages 5 to 14 — in the early hours and shooting at random, going from classroom to classroom.
Army commandos quickly arrived at the scene and exchanged fire with the gunmen. Eye-witnesses described how students cowered under desks as dead bodies were strewn along corridors.
Around 300 children are still being held hostage, with four gunmen still inside. A police inspector said they had trapped the terrorists in the principal’s office.
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif called the massacre a ‘national tragedy’ and is on his way to the area.
‘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.’
Details were sketchy in the unfolding situation and it was unclear what was going on inside the school and if any of the students were taken hostage, Daily Mail informs.
