A terror attack by the Pakistani Taliban has 145 reported fatalities, 132 children among those dead. The attack occurred in the northwestern city of Peshawar, an area full of insurgency and conflict.

Seven men, armed with guns and explosives and dressed in military gear, burst into the Army Public School on Tuesday while an exam was ongoing in the auditorium. They were reportedly ordered to let younger children flee, and instead targeted older students. Of the dead, most were children between the ages of 12 and 16. When police and military arrived to clear the school, they came across children “drenched in blood,” others hiding under benches and in bushes to avoid the attackers.

The Taliban targeted the school, for it admitted many children in military families. In a statement later released by the group, they said the massacre was “retaliation” against the Pakistani military’s ongoing anti-terrorist operations in Northern Waziristan. In addition to 145 fatalities, another 130 were injured in the school of 1,100 students. All seven terrorists were killed, although it is unknown whether they were shot or if they committed suicide.

Going after children is not unusual for the Pakistani Taliban. According to the Washington Post, since 2009, the Pakistani Taliban has attacked over 1000 schools. This is the same group that went after Malala Yousafzai in 2012, the girl who advocated for women’s education and rights in Pakistan. She also personally condemned the attack, saying “innocent children have no place in horror such as this.”

After one of the deadliest attacks in Pakistani history, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has lifted the ban on the death penalty for terror attacks. He has also called for three days of national mourning. “This is my loss. This is the Nation’s loss.” he said in a statement.

The attack has not helped the Taliban’s reputation in Pakistan, with the public coming together to condemn such an act of violence. Though some Pakistanis support the Taliban due to mistrust of the US and neighboring India, the slaughter of children cannot be justified. An Al Jazeera correspondent said “this will only strengthen the public’s resolve to carry on supporting the army.” Even the Afghani Taliban released a statement voicing their displeasure, saying that the killing of women and children goes against Islamic teachings.