Pakistan: Gunmen attack 3 sites in east, 8 killed
LAHORE, Pakistan — Teams of gunmen attacked three law enforcement facilities in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore on Thursday, a major escalation in an audacious wave of terror strikes as this U.S.-allied, nuclear-armed country prepares for an offensive in a Taliban and al-Qaida stronghold.
At least seven people died in a gunfight with police at one site, police said as the city plunged into chaos.
In the Taliban-riddled northwest, meanwhile, a suicide car bomber detonated his vehicle next to a police station, killing at least eight people, while a suspected U.S. missile strike killed four alleged militants, officials said.
“The enemy has started a guerrilla war,” Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik told a local television station.
One attack in Lahore occurred at a building housing the Federal Investigation Agency, a law enforcement organization that deals with matters ranging from immigration to terrorism. Local media channels reported that hostages were being held.
“We are under attack,” said Mohammad Riaz, an FIA employee reached inside the building via phone by The Associated Press during the assault. “I can see two people hit, but I do not know who they are.”
Senior government official Sajjad Bhutta said the attack lasted about 1 1/2 hours and was over by 11 a.m. He said the dead included two attackers, four government employees and a bystander. Senior police official Chaudhry Shafiq said one of the dead wore a jacket bearing explosives.
Two other groups of attackers struck police facilities in the area Lahore’s outskirts in violence that was continuing, Shafiq said.
One occurred at the Manawan police training school — the second time attackers have struck there this year. The earlier attack led to an eight-hour standoff with the army that left 12 people dead. No casualty figures were immediately available for the Thursday strike.
Another was at an elite police commando training center not far from the airport. Senior police official Malik Iqbal said at least one police constable was killed there.
Television footage showed helicopters in the air over one of the police facilities and paramilitary forces with rifles and bulletproof vests taking cover behind trees outside a wall surrounding the compound.
The militants have claimed credit for a series of attacks in recent days, including a siege of the army’s headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi that left 23 people dead.
The Taliban have warned Pakistan to stop pursuing them in military operations.
The Pakistani army has given no time frame for the expected offensive in South Waziristan tribal region, but has reportedly already sent two divisions totaling 28,000 men and blockaded the area.
Fearing the looming offensive, about 200,000 people have fled South Waziristan since August, moving in with relatives or renting homes in the Tank and Dera Ismail Khan areas, a local government official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.
The Thursday morning suicide attack occurred in the Saddar area of Kohat, a district near the tribal areas.
Police official Afzal Khan said at least 20 people were wounded, and that both police and civilians were among the eight killed. Half the police building was brought down.
“We fear that some policemen are trapped under the rubble,” he said.
The U.S. has encouraged Pakistan to take strong action against insurgents who are using its soil as a base for attacks in Afghanistan, where U.S. troops are bogged down in an increasingly difficult war.
The Americans have carried out a slew of their own own missile strikes in South and North Waziristan over the past year, killing several top militants including Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud.
The early Thursday missile strike hit a compound in Dande Derpa Khel, an area in North Waziristan where members of the militant network led by Jalaluddin Haqqani are believed to operate.
The two intelligence officials who gave word of the strike said the exact identities of the four killed were unclear. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media on the record.
Pakistani formally protests the missile strikes as violations of its sovereignty, but many analysts believe it has a secret deal with the U.S. allowing them.
Ahmad reported from Islamabad. Associated Press Writers Rasool Dawar in Mir Ali, Ishtiaq Mahsud in Dera Ismail Khan and Riaz Khan in Peshawar also contributed to this report.
Related News
Pakistan official says attack on federal building in Lahore kills 7, assault overOctober 15th, 2009 Official: 7 killed in attack on LahoreLAHORE, Pakistan — A Pakistani official says seven people have been killed when a team of gunmen attacked the federal law enforcement building in the eastern city of Lahore. Senior official Sajjad Bhutta said Thursday the attack lasted about 1 1/2 hours and was over by 11 a.m.
Pakistan militants attack 3 government, security facilities in eastern city of LahoreOctober 15th, 2009 Pakistan gunmen attack 3rd target in LahoreLAHORE, Pakistan — A Pakistani police official says gunmen have attacked a second police training center near the eastern city of Lahore. Senior police official Chaudhry Shafiq says the attack on the elite police commando training center on the outskirts of the city is the third militant assault to hit the city Thursday morning.
Pakistan police say gunmen attack police academy on outskirts of eastern city of LahoreOctober 14th, 2009 Police: Gunmen attack Lahore police academyLAHORE, Pakistan — Pakistani police say have gunmen attacked a police academy on the outskirts of the eastern city of Lahore. The academy attack occurred Thursday as another team of gunmen were firing shots inside a federal law enforcement building in the city.
Terrorists storm into police agency office in Lahore, two killedOctober 14th, 2009 LAHORE - Heavily armed terrorists stormed into the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) building in a congested area of this Pakistani city Thursday morning. Two of them were killed in the exchange of bullets that followed, reports said.
Firing in LahoreOctober 14th, 2009 LAHORE - Unidentified gunmen fired shots at the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) building in this Pakistani city Thursday. Police said that four unidentified gunmen fired shots at the FIA building situated on Temple Road in Lahore Thursday, Geo TV reported.
Official says gunmen are firing inside federal building in Pakistan's eastern city of LahoreOctober 14th, 2009 Official: Gunmen inside Pakistan federal buildingISLAMABAD — An official says gunmen are firing inside a federal building in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore. Chaudhry Mansoor of the Federal Investigation Agency says he can hear the shots in the facility Thursday morning.
Gunmen lay siege to federal building in eastern Pakistan as suicide attack kills 8 elsewhereOctober 14th, 2009 Gunmen attack federal building in PakistanLAHORE, Pakistan — Gunmen entered a federal law enforcement building in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore on Thursday, firing shots and terrifying employees in the latest in a string of attacks to rock this U.S.-allied nuclear-armed country as it prepares to launch a major offensive in a Taliban and al-Qaida stronghold. In the Taliban-riddled northwest, meanwhile, a suicide car bomber detonated his vehicle next to a police station, killing at least eight people, while a suspected U.S.
Pakistan police say 2 die in gunfight at Lahore federal building, 1 wore suicide jacketOctober 14th, 2009 Pakistan police: 2 die in gunfight in Lahore siegeLAHORE, Pakistan — Pakistani police say two people have been killed in a gunfight at a federal building in the eastern city of Lahore. Senior police official Chaudhry Shafiq says one of the dead wore a suicide jacket laden with explosives.
1 killed, 6 wounded when gunmen attack truck carrying illegal migrants in southern MexicoSeptember 19th, 2009 Gunmen kill illegal migrant in southern MexicoTUXTLA GUTIERREZ, Mexico — Mexican officials say gunmen have attacked a group of illegal immigrants in southern Mexico, killing one and wounding five as well as an alleged people smuggler. According to Mexico's federal preventative police, gunmen fired on a truck carrying the migrants before dawn Saturday along a highway outside the city of Comitan in Chiapas state.
Police say gunmen wound Pakistan's religious affairs minister in attack in IslamabadSeptember 2nd, 2009 Gunmen wound Pakistan religious affairs ministerISLAMABAD — Police say gunmen have shot and wounded Pakistan's religious affairs minister in an attack in the capital. Police office Mohammad Ishfaq says minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi was in his car when the attack took place Wednesday in Islamabad.
FBI expert testifies GPS device carried by Mumbai gunmen shows they traveled from PakistanAugust 12th, 2009 FBI expert testifies at Mumbai terror attack trialMUMBAI, India — The gunmen who laid siege to the Indian city of Mumbai carried GPS devices and a satellite phone that shows they traveled from Pakistan to India, an FBI expert testified Wednesday at the trial of the lone surviving suspect. Police recovered the devices during their investigation of the November attack, which killed 166 people.
Gunmen attack police stations in central Mexico, killing 5 federal officers, wounding 9July 11th, 2009 Gunmen kill 5 federal officers in central MexicoMORELIA, Mexico — Gunmen carried out attacks against federal police in at least six cities in drug-plagued Michoacan state, killing five officers. The Michoacan state public safety department says gunmen attacked federal police offices and one hotel where agents were staying between 5 a.m.
Six killed in clash with police in West BankMay 31st, 2009 RAMALLAH - At least six people were killed Sunday during a shootout between an armed group and the Palestinian security forces in the northern West Bank city of Qalqilya, the police said. Three of the dead were members of the security forces, two were gunmen and the sixth was owner of the building where the fighting took place, according Adnan Dmeiri, a spokesman for the security forces.
Police say gunmen attack security convoy in troubled Pakistani district, kill police officerApril 23rd, 2009 Police: Gunmen kill officer in NW PakistanPESHAWAR, Pakistan — Police say gunmen fired on a vehicle escorting paramilitary troops through a Pakistani district recently infiltrated by the Taliban. The troops were among those deployed Wednesday to protect government buildings and bridges in Buner, a district near the capital of Islamabad.
Siege ends in Lahore: mediaMarch 30th, 2009 LAHORE - The terror siege of the police training academy on the outskirts of this Pakistani city ended Monday afternoon. Pakistani commandos fired in the air in celebration, media reports said.
Loading ...