Among the 141 people who were killed when Taliban gunmen attacked a school in the Pakistani city of Peshawar were the school principal, who is being hailed as a hero, and students at school with their friends. Here are some of their stories.

INTERACTIVE Mobeen Shadid Afridi × A high achiever at school, Mobeen Shah Afridi wanted to be a doctor or an engineer. He was killed - shot in the back of his head - while trying to escape through a window.

× Saifullah Durani ×

× Yasir Ullah × Year 8 student Yasir Ullah was a relative of Peshawar journalist Manzoor Ali, who wrote in a piece that 16 December must be seen as Pakistan's 9/11.

× Rafique Bangash ×

× Noorullah Durrani ×

× Mohammad Ali × Class 9 student

× Uzair Khan ×

× Sher Shah ×

× Asad Aziz ×

× Azan Turyilay × Class 9 student

× Amish Salman × Class 9 student

× Mohammed Yaseen × Aged 15 An only child, he was always in the top 5 of his class and dreamed of university in the UK. Shot dead in the auditorium.

× Ahmed Elahi × His cousin, Sundus S Ashar, says “He was not only one of the high achievers in school but an example of angelic attitudes. He bore best personality traits one can think of. He always wanted to become a doctor. On that tragic day, he managed to reach an ambulance but went back again to save his younger brother in school (as reported by students in ambulance). His brother has already been saved by Pakistan Army but Ahmed never returned back.”

× Moazzam Ali Khan × Aged 14 His relative writes “He was camera shy! He was not the kid who would wear funky sunglasses or put hair gel for show off, in fact all he wanted was to study hard and be a successful person in future. To pursue a good education he was living with his maternal grandmother in Peshawar.”

× Awais Khan × Aged 13

× Baqir Ali Khan × Year 8 student, aged 14 Baqir Ali Khan was a brilliant student and high achiever and determined to enter the medical profession. He was winner of a prize in the Kangaroo Maths competition in 2012 and had planned to enter this year's competition. Relatives say he had a good knowledge of Islamic history and other religions and always excelled in Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. His family said they prayed that that his 'precious blood does not go to waste and the entire nation, particularly the armed forces, rise up to the occasion and carry out a decisive battle to uproot terrorism from this country'.

× Tahira Qazi × School principal Tahira Qazi was among nine teachers and staff believed to have been killed in the Taliban attack. Ms Qazi was known to be one of the most experienced head teachers in the city, running the elite school. In 2012, Ms Qazi was awarded the principal of the year award for 'achieving excellence and showing professional exuberance in her duty'. Witnesses quoted in local media say she ushered many students to safety, called up some parents urging them to come and collect their children. But the exact circumstances of Ms Qazi's death remain unclear.

× Hafsa Khush × Teacher

× Saeed Khan × Teacher

× Beenish Pervaiz × Teacher Her sister writes: “She was mother of three daughters. The youngest one is just three months old. My sister was in the computer lab when the shooting started. She was trying to shut the door to protect her students, but was shot through the door. Later, her whole class was slain as well. The pain these inhuman butchers have caused - not just to my whole family - but also to the whole of my country is intolerable.”

× Farhat Jafri × Teacher Her son, Mohammad Baqair, is a student at the school and survived the attack.

We do not have the names, photos and details for many of those killed. Others who died in the massacre include:

Usman Sadique Abbasi, student

One of Usman Sadique Abbasi's friends told the BBC that the body of the Class 10 student was returned to his home town of Abbottabad for burial.

Sofia Amjad, teacher

Sofia Amjad, a lecturer at the school, was married to a Peshawar lawyer. One local media report says the next big landmark in her life was to see her daughters married.

Hasnain Sharif, Grade 8 student, aged 13

His two cousins studying at the same school jumped from the school boundary wall. They survived.

Shahnaz Naeem, Head of Computer Science Department

A former student of Shahnaz Naeem, Dr Zubair Khattak, said: "She was killed during the evacuation process and fought bravely until her last breath."