Sukkar: ISI office under attack

[Gryphon]

Multiple blasts rock ISI compound in Sukkur, kill seven

KARACHI: A series of blasts rocked the southern town of Sukkur late Wednesday as militants rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a compound of Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency, security officials said.

At least seven people were killed and over 40 injured in the brazen attack on the local headquarters of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), said DG Rangers Major-General Rizwan Akhtar.

The terrorists had seized control of one government building, and security forces locked into a grueling gun-battle with the attackers lasting over an hour in the high-security Barrage Colony area of Sukkur, located around 500 kilometres from Karachi, the main city of Sindh province.

Akhtar confirmed that the ISI compound had now been cleared of the militants.

“All three terrorists who entered the compound have been killed. Casualties and damage assessment is in progress and a search operation for any leftover explosives is underway,” said Akhtar.

He said the front wall and gate of the ISI headquarters has been blown away by the impact of the first blast.

Another building caught fire and the wall of a third had collapsed, the state-owned channel PTV reported earlier.

Meanwhile, deputy superintendent of police Masood Bangash said one more attacker was suspected to be alive and hiding in a building.

A senior police official said it appeared to be “an organised terrorist attack”.

Militants have launched such sophisticated attacks before, but Sukkur has been traditionally immune from such violence.

Last year, militants attacked Kamra, a major airbase, and damaged an aircraft.

The year before, Pakistani Taliban gunmen attacked a naval base in Karachi, the country’s biggest city. Ten military personnel were killed in the 16-hour assault.

In 2009, they attacked the national army headquarters in the garrison town of Rawalpindi, close to the federal capital.

Multiple blasts rock ISI compound in Sukkur, kill seven - DAWN.COM

 

[Edevelop]

All terrorists have been killed

 

[Jango]

Where is all this being reported? Or are you refering to some internal sources?

It was on TV a while back. Now it's all quiet.

So the final story is, a van blasts the outer wall. 4 terrorists including one suicide enter. Suicide blows himself up. 3 others are killed after a short encounter soon after the initial blast.

DIG house and ISI office damaged badly (DIG house's roof collapsed), but casualties are a minimum of 2-3.

One question for the pros (@Icarus), who makes the security cordon around ISI offices? ISI itself or the Army.

In this situation, who would have been the first responder? ISI's own personnel equipped with weapons or Army/Police?

 

[474474]

Hope a few terrorists survive and are brutally tortured for info

 

[Major Sam]

All terrorists have been killed

first there was a new they captured one attacker?

 

[BLING]

RIP ! Brave Hearts. Terrorists are Cancer for Human Civilization . hope Pakistan will take stuff Action.

 

[Haroon Yusuf]

It is being reported now that Deputy Director ISI have also embraced Martyrdom in the attack. (not confirmed as media is notorious for false coverages and creating panic) May he and all the other people killed in this act of violence against Pakistan rest in peace.
Thankfully this time the rangers showed good response and the militants were dealt with. the building complex have been cleared now.

Considering it was a suicidal attack by them, the loss were kept to minimum. However, a life lost is a big loss and we may have lost 5 to 10 brave men in line of duty. All prayers for them. may there souls rest in peace, Ameen

A point to ponder is that this attack was carried by the same Taliban that the same ISI have been blamed for supporting!

In other words we can say it is the same Intelligence agency which we Pakistanis say's is the best in the world. If they are not able to save themselves how will they save us (Count numerous attacks on ISI in the past as well)..Don't open Bosnia chapter and other stories to prove their might. Talk about what they are good upto now ?

 

[xyxmt]

Pakistani nation as a whole is asleep, including the ones who were suppose to protect us need protection
maal banao paisa banao yaar, us ko bhi khilao khud bhi khao, jo na khaey us ko mar do

 

[jay89]

Pakistani nation as a whole is asleep, including the ones who were suppose to protect us need protection
maal banao paisa banao yaar, us ko bhi khilao khud bhi khao, jo na khaey us ko mar do

The nation is asleep but not the agencies they are fighting a war where nothing is clear about the enemy i must say enimies.i must say our enimies have upper hand because as a nation we are not united.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

5 out of the 7 dead were terrorists.....wonder if they were locals or foreigners. Could be a sleeper cell or the actual cell that carried out an attack on an ISI safehouse in Multan a few years back

either way -- glad most of the dead were terrorists and not staff or police. These cowards think strapping bombs to their chests will put the odds in their favour; clearly they were wrong here and they just wasted their time and inevitably their lives

 

[Jango]

Reports are that the Rangers squad present there showed a presence of mind and killed the 3 terrorists holed up inside the compound, or else there would have been a standoff. 10-15 grenades also recovered from dead bodies.

total casualties excluding terrorists are 4, one body was brought out of the rubble.

 

[Amaa'n]

It was on TV a while back. Now it's all quiet.

So the final story is, a van blasts the outer wall. 4 terrorists including one suicide enter. Suicide blows himself up. 3 others are killed after a short encounter soon after the initial blast.

DIG house and ISI office damaged badly (DIG house's roof collapsed), but casualties are a minimum of 2-3.

One question for the pros (@Icarus), who makes the security cordon around ISI offices? ISI itself or the Army.

In this situation, who would have been the first responder? ISI's own personnel equipped with weapons or Army/Police?

a very interesting question sir, perhaps i never thought this before. I will check with my friends too.
however related to security at the gate at Rawalpindi office its Military personnel, so i guess responder will be Military too?

btw any idea why Sukkur office was attacked? i mean does it hold any significance?

 

[Major Sam]

a very interesting question sir, perhaps i never thought this before. I will check with my friends too.
however related to security at the gate at Rawalpindi office its Military personnel, so i guess responder will be Military too?

btw any idea why Sukkur office was attacked? i mean does it hold any significance?

Unprecedented attack: Coordinated assault on ISI Sukkur office

Policemen and rescuers at the site of suicide attack in Sukkur. PHOTO: AFP

SUKKUR:
Suicide gunmen and car bombers mounted an unprecedented attack on the local office of the country’s premier intelligence agency in the otherwise sleepy town of Sukkur Wednesday evening, sparking a shootout that killed eight people and injured over three dozen.

Although there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the brazen attack on the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) office in the upscale Sukkur Barrage Colony, it is likely to revive fears that the reach of militants is spreading in the country.

The Sukkur Barrage Colony is a high security zone where offices of top government officials – including Commissioner House, DIG House, Sindh Rangers Headquarters and Judges Lodges – are situated.

“It was the ISI office which was attacked. The gate and front walls have been blown away,” Major General Rizwan Akhtar of the paramilitary Sindh Rangers, told AFP.

Four terrorists, armed with hand grenades, suicide vests and assault rifles, launched the organised attack just as local residents broke their fast, sources told The Express Tribune.

DIG Javed Alam Odho told AFP that apparently a suicide bomber first blew himself up in front of a police building and then a second bomber drove his explosive-laden vehicle into the main gate of the ISI office. “Other terrorists started firing and throwing hand grenades at police,” he added.

ASP Sukkur Masood Bangash confirmed eight fatalities to The Express Tribune including four terrorists. However, Edhi volunteers said that they have shifted five bodies and 50 injured to different hospitals of Sukkur and Rohri. They added that the terrorists’ bodies were lying at the site.

Officials also confirmed that apart from the terrorists, the fatalities included three ISI officials and a civilian.
Sukkur Commissioner Dr Niaz Ali Abbasi said that the Commissioner House and the DIG House were partially damaged, while damage to the ISI office was extensive.

The casualties were shifted to Civil Hospital Sukkur, Taluka Hospital Rohri and the privately-owned Hira Medical Centre. However, the injured ISI officials and Rangers troops were driven to the Combined Military Hospital in Pano Aqil due to the precarious nature of their wounds.

Police and Rangers sealed the entire area and disconnected the electricity supply to the building where the remaining two terrorists were holed up.
Security officials claimed that the two terrorists were killed in a shootout with police and Rangers. Media persons were not allowed near the site while the operation continued.

Highly credible sources told Daily Express that the target of the attack was ISI official Major Zeeshan, who had important documents containing details of terrorists. Major Zeeshan was breaking fast in his office when the terrorists mounted the attack. Major Zeeshan was also killed in the attack.

The ISI has been a frequent target for the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan as it wages a deadly insurgency, although Sukkur has traditionally been immune from such violence.

In May 2009, a suicide attack outside a police building next to the local ISI office in Lahore killed 24 people. In November that year a powerful car bomb ripped through ISI’s headquarters in Peshawar, killing 10 people and destroying part of the fortified building.

A month later in Multan two suicide attackers fired at soldiers while driving a truck bomb past security checkpoints in an attempt to approach the local office of the ISI.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has strongly condemned the attack, which he said resulted in the “loss of precious human lives and injured many”.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 25th, 2013.

 

[me_itsme]

RIP to the fallen

 

[Inception-06]

Pakistan engineering Corps has to build strongholds on all major ISI, PAF and PN buildings !

http://mmohuts.com/wp-content/galle...ew/stronghold_kingdoms_army_parish.jpg?ec9f9b