Pakistan - The nation is mourning following an alleged attack by Pakistani Taliban fighters (TTP) on a military-run school in Peshawar alleged attack by Pakistani Taliban fighters (TTP) on a military-run school in Peshawar, killing at least 141 people, including 132 children, according to Al Jazeera.
Peshawar in Pakistan is now burying its dead after the Taliban attack. New images from the school have surfaced showing the brutal effects of the tragic incident. There are pools of blood on the ground, walls are visible covered in pockmarks from bullets.
Currently under way are mass funerals and prayer vigils for the deceased in Pakistan, according to the BBC.
Described as the Pakistani Taliban's deadliest attack to date, the Pakistan school massacre took place when gunmen burst into classes and started shooting students.
According to reports, seven Taliban attackers wearing bomb vests got in by cutting through a wire fence surrounding the school. They launched the attack in Pakistan on the school's auditorium while children were taking their exams.
After that, the gunmen traveled room to room and started shooting pupils and teachers in a Pakistan siege that lasted eight hours, according to the survivors.
A total of 125 people were wounded at Peshawar's Army Public School in Pakistan. The institution reportedly teaches boys and girls either from military or civilian backgrounds. All seven attackers died from the shootout. Fortunately, hundreds were also evacuated and have survived.
Meanwhile, after the massacre in the Pakistan school, an event starting national outrage, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has declared three days of mourning. Sharif called the horrific event in Pakistan a "national tragedy", and called those killed "my children".
He added in the announcement that the moratorium on the death penalty for terrorism cases has come to an end. Correspondents have said that this announcement is a move aiming to counter a view held by many Pakistanis that many terror suspects are able to evade justice.
World leaders have also expressed disgust at the Pakistan school massacre. Pakistani embassies all over the world have reportedly lowered their flags to half-mast whilst opening books of condolences.
In Afghanistan itself, the local Taliban also described the school attack as un-Islamic. They added that they were sending condolences to the families of all victims.
Pakistan's army chief General Raheel Sharif is currently in the Afghan capital, Kabul to discuss security co-operation aimed at tackling the Taliban insurgency.
Pakistan authorities believe that Pakistani Taliban (TTP) leader Mullah Fazlullah is hiding in Afghanistan suggesting that the massacremay have been co-ordinated from Afghanistan.
TTP however said that the Pakistan attack had been planned by its military chief in the Peshawar region. They said they had been in touch with the gunmen throughout the assault.
According to the militants , the Pakistan school attack was revenge for the army's campaign against them. They added that they chose to target the school because their families had suffered such heavy losses as well.
Pakistan army and intelligence chiefs meanwhile went to Afghanistan Wednesday seeking help in locating the Pakistan Taliban leaders allegedly responsible for the massacre of students.
The trip was held by Gen. Raheel Sharif and Lt. Gen. Rizwan Akhtar, head of the Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency. Country officials said the trip was as an effort to find common ground, reports the New York Times.
Pakistan officials have reportedly been highly assertive about protesting operations by Afghan-based militants. After the school attack by the group of Taliban gunmen, officials had no hesitation blaming Afghan-based elements of the Pakistani Taliban.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
