Islamic Taliban in Pakistan school attack, kill 126 children

Officials say at least 126 people, mostly children, have been killed in a Taliban attack on an army-run school in north-west Pakistan
Pakistan’s security forces say their operation is nearing its end, after a sixth gunman was killed
Some pupils, who escaped, said the gunmen went from classroom to classroom, shooting children indiscriminately
The Taliban say the assault is in response to army operations in North Waziristan and the Khyber area. All times GMT
Mohammad Khurasani added: “These are the soldiers who have thrown their bodies in sacks. We were forced to make this decision, so that they should be hurt in their homes. When you are wounded in your own home then you realise. They burnt our homes and we were forced to set their homes on fire.”
The Pakistani Taliban have attempted to justify the attack. Taliban spokesman Mohammad Khurasani says it was a response to anti-militant offensives in North Waziristan and the Khyber region. “The children of our tribes are our children. The women of our tribes are our mothers and our sisters. Six hundred people have been killed in just one year, innocent people who were killed, their bodies mangled.”
‘Easy target’
The school in Peshawar was an “easy target for the terrorists”, local resident Asfandy Yar tells the BBC Radio 5live. He says the attack was “very prepared”.
A man lights candles to mourn the Peshawar victims in Karachi, southern Pakistan
Across Pakistan, people have been mourning the victims of the Peshawar school attack.
More from President Obama’s statement. It says: “Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims, their families and loved ones. By targeting students and teachers in this heinous attack, terrorists have once again shown their depravity.”