Pakistan militants storm naval base in Karachi
23 May 2011
Update: A Pakistan Navy spokesperson has said that all resistance by Islamic militants at a naval base in Karachi appears to have come to an end, with military forces regaining control after more than 15 hours.
Spokesman Salman Ali said Monday commandos were still searching the sprawling facility in Karachi but that ''apparently there is no more militant resistance.''
He refused to release details saying this would be done only after the base had been fully searched.
Taliban militants assaulted the headquarters of Pakistan's naval air force late Sunday night killing 13 people, injuring 16 others and blowing up at least two military aircraft.
The dead include 11 navy officials and one paramilitary personnel.
Karachi, Pakistan: Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) militants, otherwise referred to as the Pakistani Taliban, late Sunday stormed a naval base in Pakistan's largest city, Karachi, starting a gun battle with government forces that has stretched into Monday morning. The attack may be part of a revenge campaign now being conducted by Pakistani militants over al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden's killing.
In what would be a severe setback for Pakistan's defence services government officials now say that two US-supplied maritime surveillance aircraft, P-3C Orion, kept in a hangar at the base have been destroyed in the fighting. Initial reports had suggested that only one of these aircraft had been destroyed.
