VOA News / January 23, 2016

Pakistan arrested five suspects Saturday for the deadly attack on Bacha Khan University in Charsadda that left at least 20 people dead, 18 students and two teachers.

Speaking to reporters in Peshawar, military spokesman Asim Bajwa said the suspects are charged with facilitating the assault because they provided the attackers with shelter, transport and weapons.

Bajwa said that three other suspects, including two women, are still at large.

They received training in Afghanistan and crossed over into Pakistan from the Torkham border between the two countries, he said.

Mastermind Umar Mansoor

Bajwa said that the Wednesday attack was masterminded by Umar Mansoor, a Pakistani Taliban militant based in Afghanistan who is also held responsible for the December 2014 massacre of 134 children in the city of Peshawar.

On Friday Mansoor released video footage of the fighters he said carried out Wednesday’s deadly assault and vowed more attacks on schools and universities in the future.

Pakistan has killed and arrested hundreds of suspected militants under a major crackdown launched after the December 2014 school attack.

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