'Armed terrorists' attempt to attack school near Peshawar in Pakistan

At least six militants reportedly scaled the walls but were fought off by guards and residents and fled

The attempted attack happened near the scene of the 2014 school massacre in Peshawar

Gunmen have reportedly attempted to storm schools in Pakistan, sparking panic near the scene of the massacre that left 132 children dead in December.

Local media reported that a group of six “armed terrorists” tried to attack two schools in Shabqadar but were fought off by civilians with guns.

“Some men were trying to climb the boundary wall of a private school and on seeing them, the school guard opened fire after which the men fled,” district police chief Shafiullah Khan told AFP.


 The Pakistani Taliban previously attacked Shabqadar with a suicide bombing targting paramilitary police officers in May 2011
 (AFP/Getty Images)

He said residents also took out their guns and fired into the air to scare the intruders away from screaming children.

The Daily Times reported that three of the attackers “opened aerial fire” by a public girls’ school and private school.

Announcements were made in local mosques calling for help to defend the children, the newspaper said, and no deaths were reported.

Pakistan Today named one of the schools as the al-Khalid Public School, quoting police saying the attackers had fled.

The area was said to be in a state of panic as it was cordoned off by police and soldiers for search operations.

Lying just 20 miles from the scene of last year’s attack in Peshawar, Shabqadar borders the lawless Mohman district where the Pakistani Taliban is active.

The terrorist group, also known as Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, are believed to be behind several attacks on schoolchildren, including the attempted assassination of Malala Yousfzai and the 2013 Peshawar school massacre, that killed 141 children and staff.