Taliban Massacres Students, Staff in Pakistan University Attack

Taliban gunmen stormed a university in Pakistan Wednesday, executing several students and staff members and setting off a heavy gun battle with police and army troops. 

It's the second Taliban attack on a school there in a little over a year. 

At least four Taliban attackers climbed over the back walls of Bacha Khan University, shot at a security guard and headed for the administration building and student dorms. They murdered at least 20 people before they were killed by police.

"There were four or five who entered from the right side of the university and they started firing," university staff member Alamgir Khan recalled.

"The external university security staff replied all at once, but they looked very professional and they successfully reached the end of the last building," he said.

"I heard when they were shouting 'God is great.' I was hiding under the desk with my two colleagues and one staff member," student Kashif Jan said.

Wednesday's massacre comes just 14 months after the Taliban attacked another school in northwest Pakistan, killing more than 150 people.

The Taliban is claiming responsibility for this attack as well, saying it's revenge for the thousands of jihadists that the Pakistani military has killed in recent months.

Pakistan's northwest region is highly volatile. Since 2014, Pakistani forces have carried out a major operation there against the Taliban and other extremists. Last month, the government said it had killed 3,500 insurgents since launching the campaign.

Bacha Khan University is named after the founder of a liberal, anti-Taliban party. The Pakistani Taliban have targeted the party in the past for its anti-extremist policies.