This is just heartbreaking.
The Taliban has claimed responsibility for a shooting at a Pakistani school in Peshawar on Tuesday. Pakistan’s Major General Asim Salim has revealed that the death toll is at 132 children and nine staff members. Luckily, we’re hearing 960 students and staff made it through.
According to reports, there are six militant bodies and an unconfirmed report of a soldier who has died as well. Reportedly at 10am, five to six gunmen scaled the rear wall of the school’s main building, and began the siege. The high school compound was a military-run establishment, and was under attack from the militants for eight hours.
Taliban spokesman Muhammad Umar Khorasani immediately claimed responsibility, and said:
“We selected the army’s school for the attack because the government is targeting our families and females. We want them to feel the pain.”
The terrorist organization also added that the gunmen had suicide bomb vests on. Three explosions were heard near the school during the siege.
This is being called one of the deadliest attacks the country has ever seen. Army spokesman Asim Bajwal said the Taliban also made no demands:
“… they started killing children as soon as they entered the school.”
While this might not seem like something you’d normally find on PerezHilton.com, we feel strongly that the more people who know about it, the better. Things like this can no longer continue to happen.
According to Buzzfeed‘s Sheera Frenkel, this kind of stuff isn’t new. In fact, more than 1,000 schools have been targets for terrorist attacks since 2009.
Those poor kids.
Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this senseless tragedy.
[Image via AP Images.]
