Death toll of Pakistan’s Army school attack rises to 130

The death toll of a terror attack on Tuesday in school in Peshawar of Pakistan’s northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has risen to 130, a spokesperson of the provincial chief minister has said.

The spokesperson said that 122 others were injured in the attack and the vast majority of the killed and injured were students aged below 18.

Earlier the Chief Minister of the province, Pervez Khattak, told newsmen that the killed include two teachers and a security guard.

The local media said in addition that an unknown number of students and staff of the school were still being held hostage by the attackers.

It been reported that this has created a problem for the rescue operation as the security forces have to save as many lives as possible during the operation.

Army sources said that so far four militants were killed in the exchange of fire with the security forces that rounded them up inside the school shortly after the attack was reported.

The sources added that the remaining militants have been cornered in the fourth block of the school.

The report said that three blocks of the school have been cleared.

They added that a large contingent of security forces have been called in to fight against the attackers who were armed with heavy weapons and suicide jackets.

It added that helicopters and tanks have also been employed in the operation.

However, the Pakistani Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Pakistani Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, has flown to Peshawar to direct the rescue operation.

Army Chief, General Raheel Sharif, has also cut short a visit to the country’s southwestern province of Balochistan and headed for Peshawar.

Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain also issued a statement condemning the attack, adding that such attacks would not deter the resolve and morale of the Pakistani nation to fight against terrorism.

The attack reportedly took place at about 10:30am local time when a group of eight to 10 Taliban militants wearing army uniforms launched the attack at the army-run public school in the downtown area of Peshawar.

Report says the school offers education mainly to children aged from nine to 16 from the army families.

Xinhua/NAN.