Bacha Khan University attack: Pak observes mourning; military says attacker received call on Afghan number

Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday observed mourning for those killed in Wednesday's Taliban attack at the Bacha Khan University near Peshawar, the capital city of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Officials said toll from the deadly attack at the varsity in Charsadda district has climbed to 21, Xinhua news agency reported.

The chief military spokesman, Lt. Gen. Asim Bajwa confirmed 20 students, teachers and security guards of the university were killed in the attack. One person died later in a hospital of wounds. Some 20 others were also injured in the attack.

The security forces killed all four terrorists after nearly five hours of gun battle.

Bajwa told a late Wednesday press conference that the security forces had achieved a breakthrough in identifying the attackers and those who planned the attack.

"One of the attackers was receiving phone calls on an Afghan mobile number," Bajwa told reporters.

He also said the security forces have launched an intelligence-based operation, and that action would be taken against the financiers and facilitators of the terrorists.