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| Quetta attack: Isis claim attack on Pakistan police academy that killed 59 | Quetta attack: Isis claim attack on Pakistan police academy that killed 59 |
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| Isis has claimed responsibility for an attack on a police academy in the Pakistan city of Quetta, in which masked gunmen killed at least 59 people and wounded more than 100. | Isis has claimed responsibility for an attack on a police academy in the Pakistan city of Quetta, in which masked gunmen killed at least 59 people and wounded more than 100. |
| The group's Amaq news agency said three Isis fighters "used machine guns and grenades, then blew up their explosive vests in the crowd". It also published a photo claiming to show the attackers. | |
| Militants wearing suicide vests stormed the police academy overnight, killing mostly police cadets and recruits and waging a ferocious gun battle with troops until the early hours of Tuesday. | Militants wearing suicide vests stormed the police academy overnight, killing mostly police cadets and recruits and waging a ferocious gun battle with troops until the early hours of Tuesday. |
| Pakistani officials feared the death toll could rise further, as the four-hour siege - one of the deadliest attacks on Pakistan's security forces in recent years - left 117 other people injured, some of them in a critical condition. | Pakistani officials feared the death toll could rise further, as the four-hour siege - one of the deadliest attacks on Pakistan's security forces in recent years - left 117 other people injured, some of them in a critical condition. |
| The attack caught many of the recruits asleep in their dorms and forced cadets and trainers to jump off rooftops and run for their lives. | The attack caught many of the recruits asleep in their dorms and forced cadets and trainers to jump off rooftops and run for their lives. |
| While most of the casualties were police cadets and others at the academy, some of the army personnel who responded to the assault were also among those killed, said Shahzada Farhat, police spokesman in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province. | While most of the casualties were police cadets and others at the academy, some of the army personnel who responded to the assault were also among those killed, said Shahzada Farhat, police spokesman in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province. |
| A little-known breakaway faction of the Pakistani Taliban, known as the Hakimullah group, also issued a statement claiming responsibility for the attack. | A little-known breakaway faction of the Pakistani Taliban, known as the Hakimullah group, also issued a statement claiming responsibility for the attack. |
| Pakistani authorities, doubting the group's capabilities in staging such a co-ordinated and spectacular assault, could not confirm the claim. | Pakistani authorities, doubting the group's capabilities in staging such a co-ordinated and spectacular assault, could not confirm the claim. |
| The attack began at 11.30pm local time on Monday, said Baluchistan Home Minister Sarfraz Bugti, with the militants shooting and killing a police guard at the watch tower before storming into the academy, located on the outskirts of Quetta. | The attack began at 11.30pm local time on Monday, said Baluchistan Home Minister Sarfraz Bugti, with the militants shooting and killing a police guard at the watch tower before storming into the academy, located on the outskirts of Quetta. |
| "Two attackers blew up themselves, while a third one was shot in the head by security men," Mr Bugti said. Earlier, officials had said there were five to six gunmen. | |
| About 700 cadets, trainees, instructors and other staff were inside the academy when it was attacked, Mr Bugti said, adding that the gun battle with the militants lasted for at least four hours. | About 700 cadets, trainees, instructors and other staff were inside the academy when it was attacked, Mr Bugti said, adding that the gun battle with the militants lasted for at least four hours. |
| Once inside the academy grounds, Pakistani media said the gunmen headed straight to the dorms housing the cadets and trainees and opened fire, shooting indiscriminately. Some of the cadets jumped off the rooftops and through windows to try to escape. | Once inside the academy grounds, Pakistani media said the gunmen headed straight to the dorms housing the cadets and trainees and opened fire, shooting indiscriminately. Some of the cadets jumped off the rooftops and through windows to try to escape. |
| "They were rushing toward our building, firing," one cadet told Pakistani Geo TV news channel. "We rushed for safety toward the roof and jumped down in the back of the building." | "They were rushing toward our building, firing," one cadet told Pakistani Geo TV news channel. "We rushed for safety toward the roof and jumped down in the back of the building." |
| Another recruit, his face covered in blood, told the station the gunmen fired at whoever they saw. "I ran away, just praying God might save me," he said. | Another recruit, his face covered in blood, told the station the gunmen fired at whoever they saw. "I ran away, just praying God might save me," he said. |
| After the attack, Pakistani forces tightened security around the academy and Quetta hospitals were the wounded were taken. | After the attack, Pakistani forces tightened security around the academy and Quetta hospitals were the wounded were taken. |
| In August, Isis claimed responsibility for an attack on a gathering of mourners at a hospital in Quetta that killed 70 people. But that attack was also claimed by Pakistani Taliban faction Jamaat-ur-Ahrar. | |
| Additional reporting by agencies | Additional reporting by agencies |