Death toll rises to 126 in Taliban-led attack on Pakistan school

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**Jihadin**

The death toll in the Taliban-led attack on a Pakistan military-run school has risen to 126, a Pakistani official says.

Pervez Khattak, the chief minister of the province where the attack is underway, said scores of those killed in the Tuesday attack were mostly "children" but hospital officials earlier said at least one of the fatalities was a teacher and one security official were also among the dead.

Khattak says the fighting is still unfolding at the school.

The attack began in the morning as the gunmen shot at random students in grades 1-10. Army commandos quickly were on the scene and exchanged fire with the gunmen, officer Javed Khan said.

Outside the school, shooting was initially heard along with one loud bang of unknown origin. Details were sketchy in the unfolding situation and it was unclear what was going on inside and if there were any hostages among the students.

Pakistani television showed soldiers surrounding the area and pushing people back.

Jamil Shah, a spokesman for Lady Reading Hospital said at least one paramilitary solider was killed in the attack. It was not clear whether the soldier was already on the scene when the violence began or was part of the troops who arrived later.

The Pakistani military said in a statement that a rescue operation was underway and that most of the students and the staff had been evacuated. The school is located on the edge of a military cantonment in Peshawar, but the bulk of the students are civilian.

Later, one of the wounded students, Abdullah Jamal, said that he was with a group of 8th, 9th and 10th graders who were getting first-aid instructions and training with a team of Pakistani army medics when the violence began for real.

When the shooting started, Jamal, who was shot in the leg, said nobody knew what was going on in the first few seconds.

"Then I saw children falling down who were crying and screaming. I also fell down. I learned later that I have got a bullet," he said, speaking from his hospital bed.

"All the children had bullet wounds. All the children were bleeding," Jamal added.

Taliban spokesman Mohammed Khurasani claimed responsibility for the attack in a phone call with the media. The attack was revenge for the killings of Taliban members at the hands of Pakistani authorities.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

I can seriously get behind the idea of making this guy number one on a drone strike and/or exterminate his organization

**the shrouded lord**

feth...

**Bran Dawri**

So they're reduced to shooting at children now? Pathetic. Burning at the stake with nice dry wood is too good for these... I don't have enough expletives..,

**the shrouded lord**

if this is done in the name of their god, where the hell do I sign up for the demonic army.

**Da Boss**

Scumbags. Totally indefensible, cowardly and disgusting acts.

**djones520**

People can grand stand all they want about the political reasons about why we're over there.

This is why I fight. I'll be in Afghanistan in 4 months. I'm so looking forward to helping some helicopters erase these fethheads.

Edit: Apparently the censor didn't catch that one.

**Hybrid Son Of Oxayotl**

This is precisely why I said on the thread about the Sidney hostage situation that we should not ask ourselves stupid, silly question like “Is Islam compatible with the West”, but “Why are people committing atrocities in the name of Islam/religion, and how the hell do we make it stop”.

**angelofvengeance**

Murderous scum.

djones520 wrote:
People can grand stand all they want about the political reasons about why we're over there.

This is why I fight. I'll be in Afghanistan in 4 months. I'm so looking forward to helping some helicopters erase these fethheads.

Edit: Apparently the censor didn't catch that one.

This tickled me somewhat. Have fun lol.

**Rainbow Dash**

Hybrid Son Of Oxayotl wrote:
This is precisely why I said on the thread about the Sidney hostage situation that we should not ask ourselves stupid, silly question like “Is Islam compatible with the West”, but “Why are people committing atrocities in the name of Islam/religion, and how the hell do we make it stop”.

As many problems as I have with the west I like it far better then all the stuff they got going on in their countries.

**hotsauceman1**

Religion of peace my rear patuckus.
Im not going to grand stands and white knight about how "But not all muslims are like this"
If a religion advocates, even in this day, the killing of a man who defaced their so called prophet then it is not a religion of peace.

**djones520**

The religion of Islam itself is little different from Christianity in that it's interpretations and practices will vary differently.

Christianity has evolved so that by and large it left behind much of the barbarism that it was associated with over centuries. Islam still has a ways to go with that.

I've always felt that the lack of a central guiding authority within the religion has been it's greatest weakness. There is no "Pope" equivalent anymore, so any hair brained crack-pot cleric can say whatever he wants, and no one can really argue with him.

**zombiekila707**

djones520 wrote:
The religion of Islam itself is little different from Christianity in that it's interpretations and practices will vary differently.

Christianity has evolved so that by and large it left behind much of the barbarism that it was associated with over centuries. Islam still has a ways to go with that.

I've always felt that the lack of a central guiding authority within the religion has been it's greatest weakness. There is no "Pope" equivalent anymore, so any hair brained crack-pot cleric can say whatever he wants, and no one can really argue with him.

Well said!

Its horrible what extremist will do to people they are all rabid dogs that need to be put down.

**Jihadin**

djones520 wrote:
People can grand stand all they want about the political reasons about why we're over there.

This is why I fight. I'll be in Afghanistan in 4 months. I'm so looking forward to helping some helicopters erase these fethheads.

Edit: Apparently the censor didn't catch that one.

Going with the 101st eh.
Send me an IM on which BDE your attach to.

Also the new ROE should go into play being its the end of 2014 and this is a new operation for the theater.

**djones520**

Jihadin wrote:
djones520 wrote:
People can grand stand all they want about the political reasons about why we're over there.

This is why I fight. I'll be in Afghanistan in 4 months. I'm so looking forward to helping some helicopters erase these fethheads.

Edit: Apparently the censor didn't catch that one.

Going with the 101st eh.
Send me an IM on which BDE your attach to.

Also the new ROE should go into play being its the end of 2014 and this is a new operation for the theater.

I'm attached to 101st CAB, specifically I'm the SWO for 5-101. I won't be assigned to them in theater though. I'll be working with a different Task Force.

**Tannhauser42**

djones520 wrote:
The religion of Islam itself is little different from Christianity in that it's interpretations and practices will vary differently.

Christianity has evolved so that by and large it left behind much of the barbarism that it was associated with over centuries. Islam still has a ways to go with that.

I've always felt that the lack of a central guiding authority within the religion has been it's greatest weakness. There is no "Pope" equivalent anymore, so any hair brained crack-pot cleric can say whatever he wants, and no one can really argue with him.

Exactly. The issue is with the people who are indoctrinated to believe that their religious leaders speak with the authority of God. If the leader was wrong, then God would surely strike him down, and since God has not struck him down, then clearly that leader is right in whatever he demands of you.

In some ways, you still see this even with Christianity here in America. Just look at how many politicians try to gain the endorsement of prominent church leaders to get more votes.

**WellSpokenMan**

Pakistan is such a complicated country. I wonder if this will bring their intelligence agency's support of the Taliban to a halt or if Pakistan will just fracture further.

You can feed a snake and convince yourself that it loves you, but when you stop the feeding it will just see you as another potential meal.

**Da Boss**

Pakistan is a really complicated country alright. And it gets even scarier when you realise they are a nuclear power.

You've got to think though, when crap like this happens, that the majority in Pakistan must be against the extremists. This is so indefensible, no matter what your leanings towards the west are. That said, I'm sure the people in the villages that get droned regularly feel pretty caught between a rock and a hard place in all of this.

Terrible situation all round.

**Kilkrazy**

hotsauceman1 wrote:
Religion of peace my rear patuckus.
Im not going to grand stands and white knight about how "But not all muslims are like this"
If a religion advocates, even in this day, the killing of a man who defaced their so called prophet then it is not a religion of peace.

Is "The Taliban" a religion?

Is Mohammed "The Prophet" or merely the "So-called Prophet"?

**chaos0xomega**

djones520 wrote:
Jihadin wrote:
djones520 wrote:
People can grand stand all they want about the political reasons about why we're over there.

This is why I fight. I'll be in Afghanistan in 4 months. I'm so looking forward to helping some helicopters erase these fethheads.

Edit: Apparently the censor didn't catch that one.

Going with the 101st eh.
Send me an IM on which BDE your attach to.

Also the new ROE should go into play being its the end of 2014 and this is a new operation for the theater.

I'm attached to 101st CAB, specifically I'm the SWO for 5-101. I won't be assigned to them in theater though. I'll be working with a different Task Force.

*ahem* OPSEC...

**WellSpokenMan**

Da Boss wrote:
Pakistan is a really complicated country alright. And it gets even scarier when you realise they are a nuclear power.

You've got to think though, when crap like this happens, that the majority in Pakistan must be against the extremists. This is so indefensible, no matter what your leanings towards the west are. That said, I'm sure the people in the villages that get droned regularly feel pretty caught between a rock and a hard place in all of this.

Terrible situation all round.

Honestly, Pakistans nukes might keep me up all night worrying, except that I am a narcoleptic and nothing ever keeps me up all night.

**Jihadin**

chaos0xomega wrote:
djones520 wrote:
Jihadin wrote:
djones520 wrote:
People can grand stand all they want about the political reasons about why we're over there.

This is why I fight. I'll be in Afghanistan in 4 months. I'm so looking forward to helping some helicopters erase these fethheads.

Edit: Apparently the censor didn't catch that one.

Going with the 101st eh.
Send me an IM on which BDE your attach to.

Also the new ROE should go into play being its the end of 2014 and this is a new operation for the theater.

I'm attached to 101st CAB, specifically I'm the SWO for 5-101. I won't be assigned to them in theater though. I'll be working with a different Task Force.

*ahem* OPSEC...

"Ahem"
Combat deployments can be found online. Its called a "CAP Cycle" and I did say IM
https://www.facebook.com/101CAB/events?ref=page_internal
If you know what to look for you can predict the units move

**Ashiraya**

This is... obscene. What's going on in the heads of those people?

**Asherian Command**

Ashiraya wrote:
This is... obscene. What's going on in the heads of those people?

Desperation to seek attention and somehow seem releveancy.

It is a desperate act to try and get famous again.

What do you expect from a band of pricks that kill children?

**jhe90**

this is just vile.

no one can defend this,
Hopefully the Pakistani armed forces bring justice on this evil lot.

**Hybrid Son Of Oxayotl**

Rainbow Dash wrote:
As many problems as I have with the west I like it far better then all the stuff they got going on in their countries.

I am not sure I understand what you mean, and how it is related to what I wrote.

hotsauceman1 wrote:
Religion of peace my rear patuckus.
Im not going to grand stands and white knight about how "But not all muslims are like this"
If a religion advocates, even in this day, the killing of a man who defaced their so called prophet then it is not a religion of peace.

Oh certainly, this whole “Religion of peace” moniker is beyond ridiculous. Even the most peaceful of Muslims will agree that Muhammad was a general in wars, they will just argue back that those were wars of self-defense. But “Islam is the religion of war of self-defense” does not have the same ring to it. I get that they are trying to say that they are Muslim and they are peaceful, but “Islam is a religion of peace”, despite the best intentions, is still such a grotesque hyperbole than it is doing more harm than good.

Ashiraya wrote:
This is... obscene. What's going on in the heads of those people?

Religion. It can also work with politics, racism, and basically anything that will make you dehumanize people and be ready to sacrifice them for a “greater purpose”.

**Tjomball**

Religion of peace my a..e...
I've read the Quraan.. Every time I hear people say religionof peace I want to quote a couple of Sura's to them regarding their so called peaceful religion.
I will refrain from quoting them here out of respect for my fellow dakkanauts.

I once read a quite fitting analogy re. Islam as a religion..
It went something like this.
"christianity as a religion can be seen as a middleaged brow beaten man. Islam on the other hand can be seen as three year old in the defiant stage.."

But one of my first thoughts here was that this was payback for Malala's Peace price..

**the shrouded lord**

eliminate religion, almost all hostilities end. simple as that.

**Ashiraya**

the shrouded lord wrote:
eliminate religion, almost all hostilities end. simple as that.

No. Zeal causes lots of suffering but greed, nationalism and lust for power is just as if not more guilty.

**djones520**

the shrouded lord wrote:
eliminate religion, almost all hostilities end. simple as that.

The ignorance of that statement is astounding.

**the shrouded lord**

religion is the driver of hostility, greed it's lifeblood. those two things are the only reason we have war in this world.