The Taliban has reportedly issued a new statement justifying their Monday massacre at a Pakistani school that resulted in a reported 145 deaths, 132 of which were children, reports CNN .
In the statement, the Taliban says they targeted the Pakistani school because most of its students are the children of soldiers who will grow up to be like their fathers, following “in their fathers’ footsteps.” In other words, the Taliban says they massacred the students because the students would grow up to kill Taliban militants.
Along with the statement, the terrorist Taliban militants that climbed over the walls of the Pakistani school and proceeded to brutally gun down the defenseless students have also been identified by the Taliban, reports the Independent .
The Pakistani Taliban released pictures of the shooters along with a statement saying the attack was justified because of all the children and others killed by the Pakistani army. In one of the photos, the Pakistani school shooters are pictured with a Taliban leader, reports the Associated Press .
A spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban, Mohammad Khurasani, also included some threats, promising more attacks.
Communicating via email, the Taliban terrorist group told Muslims to stay away from any military-related areas, further justifying their Pakistani school massacre by saying it was also revenge for children who have allegedly been killed in tribal areas by soldiers. From there, the Taliban email launches its attempt at justification for the Pakistani school shooting, saying the army school students were “following the path of their fathers and brothers to take part in the fight against the tribesmen.”
The Army Public School and Degree College, where the seven Taliban militants launched their brutal attack on the unarmed Pakistani students, has about 1,100 students and staff. While many of the school’s students are the sons and daughters of military people from all over Peshawar, the school is public, has many children with non-military parents, and is not solely dedicated to future soldiers.
Following the Pakistani school shooting and intentional murders of innocent children, there was speculation that the Taliban launched the massacre as some kind of revenge for Malala Yousafzai receiving the Nobel Peace Prize.
The New York Post reported that Ahmed Rashid, a Taliban expert, speculated the atrocious shooting massacre “may have been committed to send a message to those who support Nobel winner Malala Yousafzai.”
Malala, an advocate for education of women and children, was shot in the head by the Pakistani Taliban in 2012. Regarding the Taliban’s Pakistani school shooting, Malala is among the many emotionally devastated, regardless of the Taliban terror group’s motivations or justifications.
“I am heartbroken by this senseless and cold-blooded act of terror in Peshawar that is unfolding before us. Innocent children in their school have no place in horror such as this. I condemn these atrocious and cowardly acts and stand united with the government and armed forces of Pakistan whose efforts so far to address this horrific event are commendable.”
[Images via AP ]
