International
Gunmen attack school bus in Pakistan, kill 2 girls, wound 5
Tragedy struck in Pakistan on Thursday when gunmen opened fire on a school bus, killing two girls and wounding five other children.
The attack occurred in the town of Attock in the central province of Punjab as the children were traveling to attend morning classes, according to police official Usman Haider.
“All of the dead and wounded children were aged between five and 10,” Haider added.
Haider reported that the motive behind the attack is currently unknown, but preliminary investigations suggest a feud between two families. However, the possibility of terrorism is also being explored. “We are also looking into the possibility of terrorism,” the officer said.
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the incident and ordered the police to capture the gunmen, as stated in a statement released by his office.
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“The President has condemned the incident and directed the police to arrest the culprits,” the statement read.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time students have been targeted in Pakistan. Islamist militants have attacked students at schools, colleges, and universities in the past.
In 2014, Taliban gunmen killed nearly 150 children in a gruesome attack at a military-run school in northwestern Pakistan. Additionally, a Taliban member fired at a school bus in Swat in 2012, wounding Malala Yousafzai, who later won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014.
The attack on the school bus in Attock has sent shockwaves across the country, with many condemning the senseless violence against innocent children. The incident serves as a grim reminder of the ongoing threat of terrorism in Pakistan and the need for increased security measures to protect vulnerable populations, particularly children.
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