The goal of this particular operation is extremely simple. Go on your social media and share this story. Not because we want the most likes, or want to win some sort of popularity contest. The operation is in commemoration of the attacks against the Peshawar children one year ago to the date. This December 16th, go on your social media and share this story or the story of the Peshawar tragedy. If you have twitter use the #OpInnocencePeshawar and share a link about the story. During a Holiday season where some of us may be taking things for granted, sharing this story is small and humble gesture which educates us all about the sad state of affairs some people are experiencing around the world today.
Origins of this operation: https://www.anonboards.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1318&p=5548#p5548
*Here is the story as told by the #OpInnocencePeshawar organizers above*
The First Anniversary of the Tragedy in Peshawar December 16th marks the one year anniversary of the brutal killing of 145 people, including 132 children mostly between the ages of 8 and 18, at the Army Public School and Degree College in Peshawar, close to the Khyber pass and 75 miles from the capital of Pakistan. Another 121 were injured, although unofficial reports puts that total much higher.
The seven gunmen, members of the Pakistani Taliban, conducted a planned assault on the school and proceeded to kill every child they could find. The Taliban claimed it was in retaliation for Pakistan’s military offensive against them, especially against their strongholds. It is estimated around 3,000 counter-terrorism operations have been conducted against the Taliban in the country of Pakistan. Much like the Islamic state, the Taliban seek to bring down the established Pakistani government and establish sharia law.
This attack was one of many beginning in 2009 directed against the Pakistani government. At the time of the massacre Pakistani Taliban still maintained loose ties to Al-Qaeda but has since declared its own independence. Similarly Al-Quada has denounced the movement of the Islamic State and says it does not want to be associated with it. The Peshawar attacks were so horrific that even then Taliban in Afghanistan, which have waged Wars against the USA for years, condemns the Pakistani attackers. When both Al-Quada and the Taliban say you are too extreme for them, you get a sense of the type of people we are talking about here.
The gunmen from the group Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, carried enough ammunition and food with them to last for several days. They also wore explosive vests and planted IEDs throughout the school. The militants had 300-400 children trapped in the school at one point. Had it not been for the assault by the Pakistani military, all of these children would have been killed. According to a statement from the group’s spokesperson, Mohammed Khurrassani they ‘never intended’ to take the children as hostages. The school which was attacked was an army campus run by the Pakistani military, this is why it was a target. The school hosted nearly 1,100 students all family to Pakistani military personnel.
The attack began with a car bombing around 10:00 am meant only as a distraction to divert security forces. While people attended to the incident the Taliban forces entered over the security walls freely. They entered the building and proceeded to the auditorium where they found 100 children were taking part in first aid training. At first they just sprayed the students with bullets but when the chaos settled they captured and singled out the survivors. “Our instructor asked us to duck and lie down” said one survivor “Then I saw militants walking past rows of students, shooting”. From the auditorium the attackers worked their way through the classrooms for any target they could find. Some of the children who were killed that day were literally lined up and killed execution style.
This incident dramatically decreased support for the Pakistani Taliban within that country and as we discussed earlier around the region among affiliates as well. As a result of the attack the Pakistani Government strengthened legislature by lifting the moratorium on capital punishment for terrorist crimes. In general, the public welcomed these changes, but expected an even stronger response. They also demanded that government officials, especially those within Pakistan’s intelligence agency, cut all ties with the Pakistani Taliban. The mastermind behind the plot, Saddam Jan, was killed by the Pakistani army on Christmas day near the Afghan border.
This article “#OpInocencePeshawar – The One Year Annaversary of The Peshaw Tragedy” is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article using a creative commons license with attribution to the author and AnonHQ. Join the conversations at www.anonboards.com
