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Taliban school attack

Mostly children among the 130 dead at Peshawar school after Pakistan Taliban attack.

The attack started early on Tuesday morning in Peshawar.
Published On 19 Dec 2014

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At least 140 people, including more than 100 children, died in a horrific attack by Pakistani Taliban fighters (TTP) on a military-run school in Peshawar in Pakistan’s northwest. 

Gunmen, dressed in paramilitary uniforms and suicide vests, entered the school and began shooting at the students. Survivors described in detail the mayhem that broke out at the school as the gunmen went from class to class searching for victims.

The Pakistan Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack. A spokesperson for the group said it was was in retaliation for an ongoing Pakistan Army operation against the TTP and its allies in the North Waziristan tribal area.

Gunfire and explosions could be heard from the school compound, prompting residents to evacuate the area.
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A huge contingent of Pakistani troops were sent to conduct a rescue operation at the school.
The compound became a site of fierce fighting as Pakistani soldiers tried to evacuate others from the area.
An unknown number of students were rescued by security forces and taken away by their families.
There were reportedly 500 people, including children at the school when the attack began.
The school itself was a soft target for the Pakistani Taliban, even though it is located in a high-security zone of central Peshawar.
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Ambulance and emergency services worked overtime to try and save the lives of children who were shot.
In total, 141 people were killed, including 132 children, in an attack that has shocked Pakistan and the world.
The number of those injured is still unknown.
Most commentators say this attack took Pakistani authorities by surprise.