thestringshredder
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The outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan today said the brazen attack on a key airbase today that left 10 people dead, was carried out to avenge the deaths of Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud and al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden.
Taliban spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan claimed responsibility for the attack in phone calls to reporters in Pakistan's restive northwest and vowed to target more.
He claimed his organisation carried out the attack on Kamra airbase in Punjab province to avenge the deaths of bin Laden, Mehsud and other fighters who were killed by Pakistani security forces.
Ihsan claimed the attackers had succeeded in achieving their targets and had dealt a "lethal blow" to security forces.
The Taliban can attack at will and will target other security installations till a "true Islamic state" is established in Pakistan, he said.
"The attack was launched from two different sides. A team of four members entered from one side and five from the other, and then they launched a collective attack inside the camp," Ihsan was quoted as saying by the website of the Dawn newspaper.
Though Ihsan claimed the militants had killed over a dozen security personnel and destroyed three fighter jets, a Pakistan Air Force spokesman said only one soldier was killed and one aircraft damaged during the assault on Kamra airbase, located 70 km from Islamabad.
The PAF spokesman said eight terrorists were killed inside the airbase while one more blew himself up outside the perimeter.
The commander of the base was hit by a bullet while leading the operation against the attackers though he was safe, the spokesman said.
The gun battle between the attackers and commandoes lasted about three hours and security forces took two more hours to clear the airbase.
The Taliban assault renewed questions about security at key military installations as the militants have also targeted the army's General Headquarters in Rawalpindi and a key naval airbase in Karachi in the past.
The Karachi airbase was stormed by terrorists just 20 days after bin Laden was killed in a unilateral US military raid on May 2 last year.
Several squadrons of fighter jets and surveillance aircraft are housed at Kamra airbase.
Western media reports have said in the past that the base is home to nuclear weapons though this has not been confirmed by Pakistani authorities.
The Kamra complex also includes the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), which assembles and overhauls the JF-17 Thunder combat jets and drones.
Dawn reported that at least 11 Chinese engineers were working at the PAC. The Chinese and other foreign engineers and technicians were shifted to a secure location, official sources said.
The attackers were wearing military uniforms and were armed with automatic weapons, grenades, RPGs and suicide vests, officials said.
The PAF chief, Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt, ordered an investigation into the incident. He convened a meeting at Air Headquarters in Islamabad to analyse the situation and to examine intelligence reports of a possible attack, the media reported.
Link - Pak Taliban claims airbase attack was to avenge death of Osama - Indian Express
Taliban spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan claimed responsibility for the attack in phone calls to reporters in Pakistan's restive northwest and vowed to target more.
He claimed his organisation carried out the attack on Kamra airbase in Punjab province to avenge the deaths of bin Laden, Mehsud and other fighters who were killed by Pakistani security forces.
Ihsan claimed the attackers had succeeded in achieving their targets and had dealt a "lethal blow" to security forces.
The Taliban can attack at will and will target other security installations till a "true Islamic state" is established in Pakistan, he said.
"The attack was launched from two different sides. A team of four members entered from one side and five from the other, and then they launched a collective attack inside the camp," Ihsan was quoted as saying by the website of the Dawn newspaper.
Though Ihsan claimed the militants had killed over a dozen security personnel and destroyed three fighter jets, a Pakistan Air Force spokesman said only one soldier was killed and one aircraft damaged during the assault on Kamra airbase, located 70 km from Islamabad.
The PAF spokesman said eight terrorists were killed inside the airbase while one more blew himself up outside the perimeter.
The commander of the base was hit by a bullet while leading the operation against the attackers though he was safe, the spokesman said.
The gun battle between the attackers and commandoes lasted about three hours and security forces took two more hours to clear the airbase.
The Taliban assault renewed questions about security at key military installations as the militants have also targeted the army's General Headquarters in Rawalpindi and a key naval airbase in Karachi in the past.
The Karachi airbase was stormed by terrorists just 20 days after bin Laden was killed in a unilateral US military raid on May 2 last year.
Several squadrons of fighter jets and surveillance aircraft are housed at Kamra airbase.
Western media reports have said in the past that the base is home to nuclear weapons though this has not been confirmed by Pakistani authorities.
The Kamra complex also includes the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), which assembles and overhauls the JF-17 Thunder combat jets and drones.
Dawn reported that at least 11 Chinese engineers were working at the PAC. The Chinese and other foreign engineers and technicians were shifted to a secure location, official sources said.
The attackers were wearing military uniforms and were armed with automatic weapons, grenades, RPGs and suicide vests, officials said.
The PAF chief, Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt, ordered an investigation into the incident. He convened a meeting at Air Headquarters in Islamabad to analyse the situation and to examine intelligence reports of a possible attack, the media reported.
Link - Pak Taliban claims airbase attack was to avenge death of Osama - Indian Express
