Massacre in Pakistan

This item appears on page 20 of the February 2015 issue.

In northern Pakistan, Taliban militants armed with guns and bomb vests attacked a military-run school in Peshawar on Dec. 16, killing 152 people, 133 of whom were age 16 or younger. Eight of those killed were teachers or administrators. Dozens more were wounded. 

Pakistani soldiers intervened and all seven Taliban were killed, including those who detonated their vests.

A Taliban spokesperson said the school was targeted as revenge against the army, which has been increasing operations against the Taliban and other militant organizations in Pakistan’s northwestern regions. In response to the attack, Pakistan conducted military actions in the Khyber region on Dec. 18 and 19, killing 62 militants.