At least 19 killed in attack on Bacha Khan University in Charsadda, Pakistan

[Valin]

CNN:

Sophia Saifi, Ben Brumfield and Euan McKirdy, CNN

Updated 9:40 AM ET, Wed January 20, 2016

 

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN)Militants raided a university in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday, timing their attack to a ceremony at the school to ensure maximum casualties.

 

After security forces combed the campus block by block after the massacre, Mehmood Khan, provincial home minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said 19 civilians were killed, along with four terrorists. He expects the number of civilian deaths to increase.

 

Earlier, an army spokesman said that 21 civilians had been killed.

 

The attack took place at Bacha Khan University in Charsadda, Peshawar, less than 40 kilometers (25 miles) from where the Pakistani Taliban slayed 145 people, including 132 children, in a school attack in December 2014.

 

It's unclear whether the group was responsible for the Wednesday incident.

 

(Snip)

 

Conflicting claims

 

Despite the conflicting statements from the Pakistani Taliban over responsibility, analysts say the attack probably is the work of the terror group.

 

"We've seen consistent operations by the Taliban up in this area," CNN counterterrorism analyst Phil Mudd said. "I see this as simply as retaliatory, that is the Taliban saying, 'If you're going to bring Pakistani special forces and the army up into our turf, you're going pay a heavy price.'"

 

The attack on the university was most likely to avenge military operations that have reduced the power of the Taliban, said Paul Cruickshank, a CNN terrorism analyst.

 

The central Taliban organization will deny the attack for political reasons, Cruickshank said.

 

"It's very confusing, but all part of the local dynamics," he said.

 

(Snip)

 

_______________________________________________________________________

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fObAwKDVBRw