Gunmen attack Pakistan airport
KARACHI, Pakistan — Gunmen disguised as police guards attacked a terminal at Pakistan’s busiest airport Sunday with machine-guns and a rocket launcher during a five-hour siege that killed 13 people as explosions echoed into the night, officials said.
A separate suicide bombing in the country’s southwest killed 23 Shiite pilgrims returning from Iran, authorities said.
No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack on the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, named after the founder of Pakistan, nor the suicide bombing in Baluchistan province. However, the attacks come as governmentled peace talks with the local Taliban faction and other militants have floundered in recent weeks.
The airport attack began late Sunday and continued into the dawn hours Monday in Karachi, although officials said all the passengers had been evacuated. During the course of the attack, heavy gunfire and multiple explosions could be heard coming from the terminal, as militants and security forces battled for control. A major fire rose from the airport.
The deadly operation was carried out by 10 militants, said Qaim Ali Shah, Chief Minister of Sindh province.
“They were well trained. Their plan was very well thought out,” he said, adding they intended to destroy some of the aircraft and buildings, but were not able.
The spokesman for the Pakistani military, Gen. Asim Bajwa, said on Twitter that no aircraft were damaged and that as a precautionary measure, security forces were sweeping the airport before operations would be returned to the Civil Aviation Authority and airport police.
At least some of the gunmen wore the uniforms of the Airport Security Force that protects the nation’s airports, said an official. He said all were strapped with explosives and one of them tried to capture a vehicle used by the aviation authority. When a guard shot at him, the explosives strapped to his body detonated. Another attacker also blew up after being shot by security forces.
The official described himself as being with one of the country’s intelligence agencies, but declined to give his name.
Authorities seized four machine-guns and a rocket launcher, Thebo said.
Authorities diverted incoming flights and suspended all flight operations. A Civil Aviation Authority spokesperson said the airport would be closed until at least Monday night.