World leaders and prominent politicians and diplomats united to condemn the actions of the Taliban who’ve claimed responsibility for the attack on a Peshawar school on Tuesday that left more than 131 people dead, mostly school children. Six Taliban gunmen attacked the school and were eventually killed by Pakistani security forces.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Shari, released a statement saying, “The government together with the army has started [a military operation called] Zarb-e-Azb and it will continue until the terrorism is rooted out from our land. We also have had discussions with Afghanistan that they and we together fight this terrorism, and this fight will continue. No one should have any doubt about it.” Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s president Ashraf Ghani released a statement that said, “The killing of innocent children is contrary to Islam.”
India’s prime minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to condemn the attack:
And Kailash Satyarthi, the Indian child rights activist who shared this year’s Nobel Peace Prize with Malala Yousafzai, also tweeted:
The U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan, Richard Olson, said in a statement, “The United States strongly condemns senseless and inhumane attacks on innocent students and educators, and stands in solidarity with the people of Pakistan, and all who fight the menace of terrorism. Few have suffered more at the hands of terrorists and extremists than the people of Pakistan.”
Government leaders, prominent figures and celebrities from around the globe also took to social media to condemn the attacks:
Malala Yousafzai, the teenager who was shot in the head by the Taliban for championing girls education in 2012, also joined the condemnation of the attack. The 17-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner, released a statement saying:
“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. I, along with millions of others around the world, mourn these children, my brothers and sisters – but we will never be defeated.”
Malala now lives in Birmingham, England.
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