Pakistan: Attack on school ends; militants dead, over 100 students killed

PeshawarIn one of the worst acts of human savagery ever perpetrated the Pakistani Taliban senselessly slaughtered 141 people 132 of them children in a brazen terror attack launched by its heavily armed gunmen and suicide bombers on an armyrun school in Pakistans Peshawar city in retaliation to the armys operation against extremists in North WaziristanPakistan police said the attack on a school in Peshawar is over and all six militants have been killed Police is now clearing explosives planted inside the school premisesA pall of gloom descended over Pakistan as the terror bloodbath at the Army Public School in Peshawar capital of KhyberPakhtunkhwa province left scores of children dead and wounded 245 people Many suffered serious life threatening injuriesGeo News citing authorities of the Combined Military Hospital CMH and Lady Reading Hospital LRH in Peshawar said at least 137 people died in the carnageWhile 106 bodies were in CMH 31 were in LRH the report saidA hospital security guard helps a student injured in the shootout at a school under attack by Taliban gunmen in Peshawar Pic APPTIEarlier there were conflicting reports about the number of dead Staterun Radio Pakistan said 126 children were killed ARY News said 129 people were killed while other media outlets put the toll at 132 most of them childrenTelevision footage showed heartrending images of the frightened children in tears some with blood on their faces as security forces rushed in to tackle the terrorists who went on a killing spreeMany of the dead were shot on their head and chest from point blank rangeThe terrorists went from classroom to classroom as children quivered in fear beneath desks and chairsldquoWe were assembled in an auditorium when terrorists barged in from the backdoor We were screaming and they started firing at usldquoI hid myself under the table and got hit by a bullet in my legrdquo said an injured studentThis attack comes only a day after a hostage crisis in Sydney that ended after the Iranborn assailant was killedThe Taliban which in 2012 shot at Malala Yousufzai who went on to share the Nobel Peace Prize this year with Indiarsquos Kailash Satyarthi claimed responsibility for the attack The terror group called it a revenge attack for the army operations against militants in North WaziristanSecurity forces killed six of the terrorists as they neutralised the attackersA Pakistani woman weeps as she waits at a hospital where victims of a Taliban attack are being treated in Peshawar Pic APPTIThe Peshawar attack brought to mind Russias Beslan school tragedy in which nearly 400 people were killed in 2004 by Chechen extremistsFrightened and traumatised children recalled the Peshawar horrorWe were in the auditorium Suddenly firing started and our teacher asked us to lie down After one hour the army came for our rescue a visibly shaken student raspedAnother young student said It was the fourth period We were in our classes They the terrorists were carrying guns in their handsOur principal told our teacher that the students have to be evacuated Suddenly we saw army personnel arriving he addedAs the terror attack progressed and the security forces encircled the school a string of bombings took place Over a dozen bomb blasts rang out as security forces took on the militantsEyewitnesses said that over 500 students and teachers were trapped inside the school building Many of the students were later evacuatedThe students were initially under the impression that it was yet another army drill and the horror sank in only after they saw schoolmates being felled by bulletsThe school teachers apparently tried to shepherd the children to safety Some were able to flee soon after the attack began while a few others were taken to safety by the security personnelldquoJust as we rushed out of our class we saw some of our fellows were lying injured in the corridor There were six to seven dehshatgard terrorists said Mukhtar a studentAnother student said ldquoI lost three of my friends I am angry and upsetrdquoIt was a day of extreme anxiety for the parentsAn anguished parent asked how the terror act could have taken placeldquoThis is quite shocking How could terrorists enter such a buildingPrime Minister Nawaz Sharif who rushed to Peshawar said till terrorism is not brought to an end in Pakistan such acts will continue to happenldquoThis is in retaliation for our military operation against the terroristsrdquo said SharifHis Indian counterpart Narendra Modi termed it ldquoa senseless act of unspeakable brutalityrdquoldquoMy heart goes out to everyone who lost their loved ones today We share their pain amp offer our deepest condolencesrdquo Modi tweetedUS President Barack Obama while condemning the attack said in a statement ldquoOur hearts and prayers go out to the victims their families and loved onesrdquoNumbed and horrified by the assault celebrities from India and Pakistan took to Twitter to condemn the gruesome attackA student who identified himself as Shuja told Samaa TV that they were taking examination when firing started They were told by the teacher to lie down on the floor He said they remained on floor for about one hour when army soldiers came and told them to go out Several students escaped through the back gate One of students who escaped told Dunya TV that fourth period was in progress when they heard firing First we didnt know what has happened But late an army officer told us to escape through back gate he saidA welcome ceremony planned in Lahore for the hockey team which won silver medal in the champion trophy in India has been postponed Pakistan Hockey Federation said that the ceremony would be held at a future suitable time