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Updated: 2.50pm
AT LEAST 21 people died when gunmen armed with grenades and Kalashnikovs attacked a university in Pakistan earlier today, as security forces moved in under thick fog to halt the bloodshed.
The assault was claimed by a Pakistani Taliban faction but branded “un-Islamic” by the umbrella group’s leadership, who vowed to hunt down those responsible.
The number of dead climbed rapidly after armed men stormed the Bacha Khan university in the northwestern town of Charsadda in the latest outrage to hit the militant-infested region.
Police, soldiers and special forces swarmed the university from the ground and the air to try to shut down the assault. Television images showed female students running for their lives and witnesses reported at least two explosions.
“The death toll in the terrorist attack has risen to 21,” regional police chief Saeed Wazir said, with most of the student victims shot dead at a hostel for male students.
“More than 30 others including students, staff and security guards were wounded,” he added.
Wazir said the attackers had “taken advantage of the fog”, adding that visibility was less than 10 metres at the time.
A military spokesman said the four attackers had been killed, two by snipers, though it was not clear if they were included in the toll of 21 given by police.
Umar Mansoor, a commander of the Hakimullah Mehsud faction of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistani (TTP), claimed responsibility for the attack.
“Our four suicide attackers carried out the attack on Bacha Khan University today,” said Mansoor.
Security forces believe he was the mastermind behind a similar attack on an army-run school in nearby Peshawar in 2014 that left more than 150 people dead.
The TTP’s central leadership denied any involvement.
“TTP strongly condems today’s attack and disassociates itself completely from this un-Islamic attack,” spokesman Muhammad Khurasani said on Twitter, vowing that the group would bring those behind it to justice.
The denial appeared to indicate continued infighting in the Pakistani Taliban, as the Islamic State group seeks to recruit its disaffected fighters.
A senior security official said the faces of the attackers were recognisable and their fingerprints had been taken, adding: “We hope we will soon identify them.”
One had a mobile phone in his hand connected to Mansoor’s faction, he said.
He said two of the attackers were teenagers while the others were in their early 20s. They were armed with hand grenades and Kalashnikovs.
Teacher fighting back
Students spoke of one hero teacher, Syed Hamid Husain, fighting back against the intruders.
Geology student Zahoor Ahmed said his chemistry lecturer had warned him not to leave the building after the first shots were fired.
“He was holding a pistol in his hand,” he said.
Then I saw a bullet hit him. I saw two militants were firing. I ran inside and then managed to flee by jumping over the back wall.
Another student told reporters he was in class when he heard gunshots.
We saw three terrorists shouting, ‘Allah is great!’ and rushing towards the stairs of our department.
One student jumped out of the classroom through the window. We never saw him get up.
He also described seeing the chemistry professor holding a pistol and firing at the attackers.
Then we saw him fall down and as the terrorists entered the (registrar’s) office we ran away.
Pakistan’s President Mamnoon Hussain confirmed the lecturer had died.
An emergency services spokesman suggested that other students and teachers had also fired at the gunmen.
“That is why the attackers could not succeed much,” Bilal Faizi said.
Opposition leader Imran Khan told media in Charsadda that ordinary citizens had rushed to the university with guns, prepared to fight the attackers themselves.
Echoes of 2014 massacre
A university security guard said the attackers had scaled a wall to enter the campus, apparently killing a caretaker in a school guesthouse before moving on to the boys’ hostel.
The attack had chilling echoes of the Taliban assault on the Army Public School in Peshawar in December 2014, Pakistan’s deadliest-ever attack. Most of the victims were children.
After a public outcry, the military intensified an offensive in the tribal areas where extremists had previously operated with impunity, and the government launched a crackdown.
Mansoor, the alleged mastermind behind the attack who also claimed today’s assault, vowed in 2014 to continue his “revenge” for the military crackdown.
Pakistani troops and rescue workers gather at the main gate of Bacha Khan University.
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Green thumbs for that sultry vixen.
Has she no job to go to?
Easier ways to sell records I’m sure..maybe they should go on the Voice, Cian Egan might be finally be able to kill them off altogether since Putin is having difficulty.
Doing a better job than either of ye guldies
Wtf is a guldie?
I don’t think I’m in a band that are actually any good. I’d certainly give her a lash but I wouldn’t buy any of her music…
It’s not about music, it’s about standing up for your rights. Do you thinks this case would be headline news if pussy riot weren’t there? Fair play to them, they are brave people putting their own personal freedom and possibly their lives on the line in order to show up the tyrant Putin.
Although they are crappy musicians what they are doing is showing the world how intolerant of any form of critism Putin and his cronies are. He is terrified that what happened in Ukraine could spread to Moscow or other Russian cities. It was the Russian people that brought down the old Soviet regime and now he is cracking down on anything that could be a catalyst for bigger demonstrations against him.
There’s only one Nadezhda Tolokonnikova
Yes, I must admit, and I normally reserve myself and never comment on people’s appearances, but she’s pretty hot.
Pussy Riot are doing doing more harm to equal rights than good. They are silly girls, sick of hearing about them
Does you campaign for equal rights start or end with you sitting on that couch?
I’m sure that people thought the same about the suffragettes!.
I’m all for equal rights and highlighting injustices but those pussy riot girls seem like they have a death wish! While no doubt noble in their cause it’s just coming across as attention seeking at this stage! Reign it in girls there’s other ways to get your point across without putting yourselves in so much danger!
Most depressing comment I’ve read all day. “Attention seeking” is the point, their aim is to highlight a myriad of injustices and malpractices being carried out in Russia.
They are seeking attention for themselves, not for injustice in Russia. It is blatantly obvious
Well said deidre, can’t believe some of comments here, we could do with more people with these women’s courage DNS convictions in this country
Now Sochi is over the focus will shift. Same as Bahrain. Come F1 time we will all remember human rights. When it moves on, it will be put on the back burner. Sad but true.
Deidre if your depressed by my comment it’s probably because it’s the reality, the world isn’t a rosy place where people click their fingers and all the horrible things that are happening just stop! Like I said they are no doubt noble in their cause but they aren’t the only ones highlighting what’s happening in Russia, there are many more people out there fighting for what’s right without courting the media every five minutes, and they are also appealing to the UN, leaders of countries and humanitarian organizations, not like pussy riot who only appeal to the media under the guise of protesting for what’s right! Call me cynical but it seems to me the only cause they are furthering is their own quest for attention and fame!
Rachel as you say there are others but have they gotten the attention of the worlds media the same way these girls have? It’s all well and good getting the attention of diplomats and dry burocrates but how much of the public would get to hear about what was going on if only left to them?
I suppose MLK was just seeking attention too?
Rachel we are hearing about their cause on a regular basis do obviously what they are doing is working! It’s too easy to criticise them. They are a credit to their generation and women worldwide (in my humble opinion)
I would have thought, assuming it’s possible for them to do so, they’d cause a far greater stir outside Russia than in it. Any western country’s media would go crazy for them and have them on primetime TV. Would Putin let them back in though?
I suspect they may be worried about family if they did leave.
I’m not much of a fan of theirs in some respects in truth, but I certainly admire and applaud what they are trying to do and wish them well.
There’s celebrities like Stephen Fry also highlighting the cause Mick, I just think there’s more to these girls protests than meets the eye, in a world of celebrity some people just want to jump up and use whatever means necessary to further their own personal celebrity status, when they were in Ireland Sinead O’ Connor was all over them like flies on manure as was Madonna in America, they’re no doubt enjoying their new found fame and now have to keep it going and these protests are just the thing to do the job! With Sochi happening the eyes if the world are trained firmly on Russia there is no need for these protests now, when the Olympics is over and everyone has moved on then is the time for these protests to occur to try and keep Russia firmly in people’s minds! By these girls getting arrested now they are shooting themselves in the foot, they could be locked up by the time the Olympics are over and who will draw attention to Russia then? People that protest because they genuinely care and aren’t looking for fame, that’s who!
Cynical people on here but that’s nothing new do I don’t know why I’m surprised!
Nialls I might be cynical but mine is just one person’s opinion, I’m genuinely all for equal rights and it saddens me how LGBT people are treated not only in Russia but world wide, I just hate to see the cause used as a personal quest for celebrity is all :)
Madonna is not an activist. Sinead O’Connor is. Please never mix that up
Oh ffs.
I don’t give a fu#k if they’re in it for cult glory. They’re drawing attention to their country’s sad story.
Moaning about their methods of protest is a waste of time and should be spent complaining about Russian government crime.
Never said either were activists just that they were allover the girls
Like I said Rachel there are others but they haven’t gotten the recognition and captured the same Media attention as they have. Nadezhda Tolokonnikova could make a fortune here in the West with her looks. But she and the others has chosen to stay in Russia and risk arrest and prison to highlight what an intolerant dictator Putin actually is.
There are people that fighting in Russia??? Ure might be joking, right??
If u would ever try to do anything against government not on international level (like these girls) u would be buried alive and no one would ever look for u. Publicity for them is sort of security and fight for what’s right! They ready to die for their country. They have very little to do with the music as such either. They r fighters and they don’t have fear. I wish the rest of Russia would rise…
Mick despite our differences in drug policy reform you are bang on with this one.
Kevin Because we disagree on some things like adults we can see past that when we see a terrible injustice.
For the record I do see terrible injustices when it comes to the failed war on drugs but anyway
Mick and Kevin I agree with both of you in most respects but the two ladies above are ex pussy riot members the original group also criticizes them for their celebrity attention seeking! I agree with the msg I just don’t agree with how it’s delivered, it’s a case of “the end justifies the means while we become famous” for them, they only say in the media because they are bizarre and their protests are bizarre, I could go out tomorrow and shove a raw chicken up inside me or throw some live cats at people like some of the members if that group under what ever cause I wanted and I’d be on every newspaper in Ireland, the cause I stood for would become a byline and people would only be interested in having a gawp at the loon who acted so outrageously, some interviews a book deal and I’d be a z list celeb, I’d then have to act even more outrageously to keep the whole charade going!
Mick – How is Putin an intolerant dictator?
James if you have to ask then you have been hiding in a dark closet or a supporter of Putin.
Ok James lets look at why. He has Jailed and Bankrupted anyone that is/was a potential political threat to him. He has destroyed the free press in Russia. He has altered the constitution to give himself most total power and allowed him to run for president indefinatly. He has usurped the Judicial system to the point that he decides who is guilty and what sentence is handed down. He has passed laws that practically make it an offence to publicly criticise him or his government. He has passed laws that make it an offence to protest in any shape or form against him or his government or their policies.
Is that not the actions of a dictator?
In fairness Mick, though I agree, many of those that bankrupted Russia were also jailed
But only those that didn’t support Putin. A lot of those Oligarchs that support Putin arrived some of the biggest criminals in Russian history but are walking freely around Moscow.
First, Putin came to power directly after Yeltsin in the chaotic post-soviet days when Russia was totally rudderless. The oligarchs he jailed or chased off were trying to buy the political system with there ill gotten gains. Putin put his foot down and jailed Khodorkofsky while other big name oligarchs like Beresovsky fled. I think Berezovski had actually financed Putin and thought he could control him but he was wrong. Putin could have had a very comfortable life if he had played along with these guys. He chose to defend the interests of the Russian people instead.
And the Russian people like Putin. It’s hard to call him a dictator when he’s been elected again and again and has high approval ratings among Russian people. If they don’t have a problem with him using some political artifice to prolong his term who am I to criticize? Perhaps you think it’s a personal lust for power. I don’t. He is inaugurating a hugely complex political system with no precedents to lean on. He has more work to do.
The treatment he has given the media in Russia is something I’m not that familiar with but I think it is part of his campaign against the usual suspects –the oligarchs. Berezovsky was funding media from outside Russia and Putin probably squelched it. But I never heard the specifics of these cases. There is no evidence he killed Politkovskaya but Western media always blame him for it
It’s not illegal to criticize Putin in Russia. Nor is it illegal to protest but they do have laws requiring permits as they do here in the US and in Ireland. Here in the US they are very strict about it. People are always getting arrested and jailed for demonstrating without a permit and not obeying police orders. A group of disabled activists were arrested and hauled off right in front of the White House last month.
Horseshit. There are Oligarchs wandering around Russia today that are as big thieves as any Putin had arrested. But they support Putin that is the difference. Here you need a permit only if your rally is likey to cause traffic disruption. In Russia any Rally/Demonsration no matter how small needs a permit and if the rally/demonstration is for anything that is anti Putin you can guarantee it will be denyed. And as for the media he has shut down any and all forms of media that was in any way shape or form critical of him.
As for his being re elected time and time again. Why wouldn’t he. He has disposed of anyone that could be a serious threat to him. Plus remember the last election where an election official was caught on video stuffing a ballot box with voting papers for Putin. Thats just one that happened to be caught how many others weren’t? Russia currently ranks 127 out of 177 in the World Corruption Index. If Putin is so good at arresting corrupt Oligarchs he seems to be missing everyone else.
Ireland’s laws must be more liberal than America’s in that case. Here if you “block” the sidewalk you can be arrested. My theory is that oligarchs only get in trouble with Putin if they try to influence politics with their wealth. It’s not that they have to support Putin, it’s just that they have to stay out of politics. Putin was like a personification of a campaign finance law. I don’t think this will last though. It was just something needed at the beginning of Russia’s birth as a democracy.
All the polls showing Putin’s popularity in Russia support the results of the elections. The elections weren’t fraudulent.
Funny hearing people on this saying they are attention seeking when they where at the protest. It’s the media that gave them the attention.
What made me laugh the most though is that some people are saying they are doing nothing when they actually attended a protest over the injustice that is jailing someone for a peaceful protest.
they should be jailed for crimes against music…..
weren’t those 2 kicked out of the “band” as the others felt they sold out by going on their European media tour…..
Putin must feel like a Riot pussy after the Courthouse protest and all the bad Press that he is getting lately….
Apparently the whipping incident video may have been completely staged according to media reports today…. It was all done as part of their publicity………Im not sure myself but….
I have to say It does look odd in that video that their were media waiting around for them to arrive, they found a wall that there was nobody else near despite all the ppl in the area and the black haired one suffers no reaction to pepper spray… pepper spray effects last at least a half hour and she doesnt suffer at all after her initial screams….I found that very odd
I’ve experienced pepper spray first hand and you are right about the 30ish minutes but the video ended before you can see.
Everyone knew it was staged. What both pussy riot and media did not know is that they would be man handled, whipped and have their hair pulled.
If that stunt happened in Ireland the guards would do nothing as no law is broken. In Russia however…
The bit at the end with the chickens is quite odd.. however after reading the story behind why they were giving them chickens, its even odder!!
Didn’t actually see that mark. I think the result regardless is that they showed Russian police brutality to the world. A horsewhip was used which still has me shocked.
on protest was an orgy in a museum… the second was they stole a frozen chicken by one of the girls placing it in her vagina and performing sex acts with it…. Im not sure what statement that was supposed to make,
Didn’t understand any of that I’m afraid. I’ll check that out but I only know em for the church gig and the Sochi stunt
Kevin, from what I’ve read they weren’t Russian police in that video, they were Ukrainian Cossacks.
Most annoying people on earth at present.
You ever hear of justin beiber?
Forgot about him.
Would you prefer they were called pussy quiet?
Has this done anything for album sales or a string of gigs even
Have to admit i thought she was a cold weirdo when she appeared on the Saturday show ! There was some craic about not letting the host Brendan kiss her on the cheek ! Don’t think she won many irish fans that night ..
It was a complete failure on rte’s part. They were unprepared and you could see that throughout the whole interview
Anyone see : Scientists say they have observed a record-breaking impact on the Moon.
Meteorite
Bless the attention seekers
Who pays you to comment on the journal all day with a severe right wing agenda?
Let’s hope the police beat some sense into these idiots. I’m just waiting on the sex tape they will release next on their attention seeking quest
Kevin, who pays you to comment all day on the journal?
Credit to these girls. Putting themselves repeatedly in danger of brutality and/or imprisonment to demonstrate to the world how oppressive and corrupt Russia is.
Bonkers how people think they are trying to promote their music.
Pussy Riot, I’ll say it again, those girls have balls, fair play to them.
Where was the outrage from the Irish people towards Russia when Putin got “elected” two years ago? Faux outrage
have your say