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Lahore police academy recaptured | Lahore police academy recaptured |
(40 minutes later) | |
Pakistani security forces have recaptured a police academy after eight hours of clashes with gunmen who seized the complex during a morning drill. | |
Military helicopters opened fire on the compound near Lahore as troops entered to confront grenade-throwing militants. | |
Pakistan's Interior Ministry said 14 people had been killed, including eight policemen and four militants. Earlier reports put the death toll higher. | |
Nearly 100 people have been injured, the ministry adds. | |
The assault comes less than a month after gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, killing six policemen. Those gunmen escaped. | The assault comes less than a month after gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, killing six policemen. Those gunmen escaped. |
Chaotic scenes | |
The siege at the Manawan police training school on the outskirts of Lahore ended at around 1600 local time (1300GMT) after sustained heavy gunfire lasting 10-15 minutes. | |
Jill McGivering reports from outside the academy near Lahore This was a well-organised attack that will raise concern about the sophistication of the group behind it. Pakistan is facing a broad insurgency from groups linked to al-Qaeda, the Afghan Taleban and the Pakistani Taleban, as well as from religious extremists and criminals taking advantage of the situation. It is unclear who was responsible for this attack, but its co-ordinated nature could point to one of the more international groups. 'I saw the attackers' How attack started In pictures: Lahore siege | |
Military helicopters swooped low, firing directly into the training school. | Military helicopters swooped low, firing directly into the training school. |
As paramilitary forces tried to force their way into the main building, the gunmen retaliated by throwing grenades. | As paramilitary forces tried to force their way into the main building, the gunmen retaliated by throwing grenades. |
As news emerged that the siege had ended, TV pictures showed paramilitary troops celebrating on the roof of the compound. | |
Roads around the site were clogged with vehicles and people. | |
The BBC's Damian Grammaticus, who has since been able to get into the police academy, said rescue teams with masks were now carrying out bodies under white sheets. | |
He says the scene there is chaotic with broken glass, bullet casings and pieces of human flesh scattered over the floor. | He says the scene there is chaotic with broken glass, bullet casings and pieces of human flesh scattered over the floor. |
Our correspondent has been told that two of the attackers may have blown themselves up. | Our correspondent has been told that two of the attackers may have blown themselves up. |
The gunmen attacked from four sides, while trainee police were doing their morning drill on the academy's parade ground, officials and witnesses said. | The gunmen attacked from four sides, while trainee police were doing their morning drill on the academy's parade ground, officials and witnesses said. |
They threw grenades before opening fire, and at least some of the gunmen were said to be disguised in police uniforms. | They threw grenades before opening fire, and at least some of the gunmen were said to be disguised in police uniforms. |
Elite troops were called in to retake the area. | Elite troops were called in to retake the area. |
MAJOR PAKISTAN ATTACKS 27 March 09: Suicide bomber demolishes crowded mosque near the north-western town of Jamrud, killing dozens. 3 March 09: Six policemen and a driver killed, and several cricketers injured, in ambush on the Sri Lanka cricket team in central Lahore20 Sept 08: 54 die in an attack on the Marriott hotel in Islamabad6 Sept 08: Suicide car bombing kills 35 and wounds 80 at a police checkpoint in Peshawar Aug 08: Twin suicide bombings at gates of a weapons factory in town of Wah leave 67 deadMarch 08: Suicide bombs hit police headquarters and suburban house in Lahore, killing 24 | MAJOR PAKISTAN ATTACKS 27 March 09: Suicide bomber demolishes crowded mosque near the north-western town of Jamrud, killing dozens. 3 March 09: Six policemen and a driver killed, and several cricketers injured, in ambush on the Sri Lanka cricket team in central Lahore20 Sept 08: 54 die in an attack on the Marriott hotel in Islamabad6 Sept 08: Suicide car bombing kills 35 and wounds 80 at a police checkpoint in Peshawar Aug 08: Twin suicide bombings at gates of a weapons factory in town of Wah leave 67 deadMarch 08: Suicide bombs hit police headquarters and suburban house in Lahore, killing 24 |
Amid the confusion, officials gave differing numbers for the dead and injured, with one military official putting the death toll at 40. | |
Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik said that 14 people had been killed, including eight policemen and two civilians, and 95 people had been injured. | |
Four militants had been killed and three arrested, he added. | |
He called the assault a "planned, organised, terrorist attack". | |
"This shows the extent to which the enemies of our country can go," he told the local Geo TV station. | "This shows the extent to which the enemies of our country can go," he told the local Geo TV station. |
But he added: "It is wrong to say that law and order has collapsed in Pakistan. | But he added: "It is wrong to say that law and order has collapsed in Pakistan. |
"We are very near to [tracing] the attackers involved in this." | "We are very near to [tracing] the attackers involved in this." |
This attack comes days after US President Barack Obama pledged to put Pakistan, along with Afghanistan, at the heart of his fight against al-Qaeda militants. | This attack comes days after US President Barack Obama pledged to put Pakistan, along with Afghanistan, at the heart of his fight against al-Qaeda militants. |
US officials have pledged to target so-called "safe havens" for militants in Pakistan's north-west tribal region bordering Afghanistan. | US officials have pledged to target so-called "safe havens" for militants in Pakistan's north-west tribal region bordering Afghanistan. |