UN human rights chief slams school attack in Pakistan

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein on Tuesday condemned Taliban's attack on a Pakistani school, which killed at least 132 people including more than 100 students.

Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said the attack was "an utterly despicable and incomprehensibly vicious attack on defenseless children."

Taliban militants attacked a farewell party at an army-run school in Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar on Tuesday. The Pakistani army says it has killed six militants but the remaining militants are still keeping students as hostages.

"The Taliban have sunk to an all-time depth with this attack," Zeid said in a statement.

"Everyone must now unite to combat this type of savage extremism." he said.

"No government or intelligence agencies, no religious figures, no wealthy sponsors, no members of the general public can possibly justify continuing support for the Taliban, ISIL, Boko Haram, Al-Qaida or any of these takfiri groups which appear to be competing to attain the highest level of human barbarity," he said.

He called for unity to counter such extremism and violence, not only in Pakistan, but anywhere where children's rights and human rights are attacked in this way.