WORLD
Taliban gunmen hold Pakistan school hostage, kill students
Baku, December 16, AZERTAC
Taliban militants have killed at least 84 students and taken hundreds hostage at a school in Pakistan's northwestern city, Peshawar. Rescue operations are underway.
Islamist militants stormed a school in Pakistan's northwestern city, Peshawar, on Tuesday. At least 84 students were killed, said Pervaiz Khattak, Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Khattak said that an army operation way underway to counter the attack and that "intense gun fighting" was taking place inside the school.
Pakistan's leading newspaper Dawn reported that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had left for Peshawar to personally monitor the situation.
At least seven armed militants stormed the Army Public School and opened fire at children and teachers, police officer Mudassar Abbas told reporters. The militants had taken 500 students from grades nine and ten hostage inside an auditorium, Abbas added.
Soldiers and police commandos were conducting operations inside the school to rescue hostages, according to provincial education minister Mushtaq Ghani. Several of those injured were taken to the Lady Reading hospital in Peshawar. Ejaz Khan, official at Lady Reading said: "Many are in the operation theater now undergoing treatment."
