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Gunmen storm military air base in Pakistan | Gunmen storm military air base in Pakistan |
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Gunmen have attacked a Pakistani military air base triggering a fierce firefight with security forces that lasted several hours. | Gunmen have attacked a Pakistani military air base triggering a fierce firefight with security forces that lasted several hours. |
Several militants wearing military uniforms and suicide belts stormed Minhas air base at Kamra, near the capital Islamabad, just before dawn. | Several militants wearing military uniforms and suicide belts stormed Minhas air base at Kamra, near the capital Islamabad, just before dawn. |
Eight militants were killed, one soldier also died and the base commander was seriously injured. | Eight militants were killed, one soldier also died and the base commander was seriously injured. |
All of Pakistan's air bases were placed on high alert following the attack. | All of Pakistan's air bases were placed on high alert following the attack. |
The BBC's M Ilyas Khan, who is at the base, says that now that the attack has been repelled, the search is on for militants who may have escaped. | |
Shortly after the attack began, at around 02:00 local time (21:00 GMT on Wednesday) a police officer outside the air base, Hafeez Aulakh, said he could hear intense gunfire and see flames leaping up from inside, the Associated Press news agency reported. | Shortly after the attack began, at around 02:00 local time (21:00 GMT on Wednesday) a police officer outside the air base, Hafeez Aulakh, said he could hear intense gunfire and see flames leaping up from inside, the Associated Press news agency reported. |
This is the third major attack in about as many years in which militants were able to breach security at a high value military installation. | |
Officials say they will be investigating, among others things, the possibility of insider collaboration, as happened during another spectacular attack at a naval base in Karachi last year. | |
Troops are searching the factory area inside the sprawling air base at Kamra. | |
The hunt for militants is also taking place in about five or six villages located just outside the western perimeter of the base. Militants entered the base from these villages. | |
All approach routes to the base have been sealed by the police. | |
Local journalists who gathered near it for the customary pre-dawn meal of the fasting month of Ramadan said that they heard the bang of the rockets that hit an aircraft parked in the base. | |
Firing continued for several hours subsequently. | |
The attack comes days after American claims of an impending Pakistani operation in the militant haven of North Waziristan tribal region. | |
The attackers initially fired rocket-propelled grenades from outside, which damaged one aircraft. | The attackers initially fired rocket-propelled grenades from outside, which damaged one aircraft. |
Air force spokesman Tariq Mahmood said the attackers then scaled a wall to get inside the base, though they did not reach the hangars there. | Air force spokesman Tariq Mahmood said the attackers then scaled a wall to get inside the base, though they did not reach the hangars there. |
He added: "We are checking every inch of the complex to make sure there are no other miscreants." | He added: "We are checking every inch of the complex to make sure there are no other miscreants." |
Reporters who reached the scene several hours later said there was no sound of gunfire. | Reporters who reached the scene several hours later said there was no sound of gunfire. |
Base commander Air Commodore Muhammad Azam was reported to be seriously wounded but in a stable condition in hospital. | Base commander Air Commodore Muhammad Azam was reported to be seriously wounded but in a stable condition in hospital. |
Earlier reports said two soldiers had died, but this was later revised. | Earlier reports said two soldiers had died, but this was later revised. |
Officials have denied speculation that the base is connected to Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme. | Officials have denied speculation that the base is connected to Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme. |
Minhas is one of Pakistan's biggest air bases with about 30 fighter jets including new JF-17 planes - jointly developed with China - that are being assembled there. It is about 60km (35 miles) north-west of Islamabad. | Minhas is one of Pakistan's biggest air bases with about 30 fighter jets including new JF-17 planes - jointly developed with China - that are being assembled there. It is about 60km (35 miles) north-west of Islamabad. |
The BBC's Tulip Mazumdar - also at the base - says Pakistan insists it can protect its military targets, but this latest attack will again raise concerns over whether it is in control of its own security. | |
No group has said it carried out the attack but Islamist militants linked to the Pakistani Taliban have previously targeted military bases. | No group has said it carried out the attack but Islamist militants linked to the Pakistani Taliban have previously targeted military bases. |
In May 2011, militants attacked the Mehran naval air base in Karachi, killing 10 soldiers. | In May 2011, militants attacked the Mehran naval air base in Karachi, killing 10 soldiers. |
It took security forces about 17 hours to secure the base on that occasion. | It took security forces about 17 hours to secure the base on that occasion. |
In 2009 a suicide bomber killed six people at a military checkpoint in Kamra, in Punjab province. | In 2009 a suicide bomber killed six people at a military checkpoint in Kamra, in Punjab province. |