At least nine students killed

Three terrorists disguised in burqas attacked an agriculture training institute in Peshawar on Friday, killing at least nine students. City Police chief Tahir Khan, who led the operation, told media that the terrorists came in a rickshaw.

Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack.

On Thursday, police SSP Operations Sajjad Khan told the media that there were intelligence reports about an attack in which terrorists would take hostages and that law enforcement agencies were on red alert. Despite that there were no police guards deputed in front of the institute, which is affiliated to Peshawar Agriculture University.

Police said the terrorists went inside the training institute and killed students residing in a hostel. Most students were on leave as it was a public holiday on account of the birthday of Prophet Mohammed.

Police said the terrorists were wearing suicide vests and threw grenades as they entered the institute. They then sprayed bullets on the students at the hostel. They were heavily armed with AK 47s and Kalashnikovs.

Police and military launched an operation and killed all the terrorists. Four soldiers were reported to be injured in the operation.

It was an attack similar to that of Army Public school in December 2014 in Peshawar when nearly 150 school children were shot dead by terrorists.

Reuters adds

A wounded student, Ahteshan ul-Haq, told Reuters that the university hostel usually houses nearly 400 students, but most of them had gone home for a long holiday weekend and only about 120 students remained.

“We were sleeping when we heard gunshots. I got up and within seconds everybody was running and shouting 'the Taliban have attacked',” he said.