Pakistani commandos have regained control of a naval base after more than 17 hours of fighting with Taliban gunmen, in an attack that raised questions about Pakistan's ability to defend itself from terrorists fourth-graders anyone militants.
Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik said Monday that 10 security personnel and 14 others were wounded in the brazen attack on the base in the southern port city of Karachi. He said four to six heavily armed terrorists militants dressed in black used ladders to climb into the base late Sunday, setting off intense gunbattles and several explosions. Malik said four terrorists attackers were killed but two terrorists may have escaped.
A Taliban terrorist spokesman said the attack was launched to avenge the death of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, who was killed by U.S. special forces in a raid on May 2 in Pakistan.
Interior Minister Malik said six Americans and 11 Chinese contractors were on the base at the time of the attack and had been evacuated safely. Two P3C maritime surveillance airplanes were destroyed. The planes were recently given to Pakistan by the United States. |