Pakistan Taliban behind airport attack that killed at least 28

Gunmen disguised as police guards attacked a terminal at Pakistan’s busiest airport Sunday night with machine guns and a rocket launcher. At least 28 people were killed, including all 10 of the attackers, the media reported. Pakistan’s Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack on the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, named after the founder of Pakistan. The airport attack raged for roughly five hours Monday morning in Karachi, a sprawling port city on Pakistan’s southern coast, and resumed a few hours after officials had declared the seige was over. Officials said all the passengers had been evacuated.

We carried out this attack on the Karachi airport and it is a message to the Pakistan government that we are still alive to react over the killings of innocent people in bomb attacks on their villages.

Shahidullah Shahid, a Taliban spokesman

Most of the dead were airport security guards. The Chief Minister of Sindh province, Qaim Ali Shah said the attackers were “well trained”, and that the attack was “well thought out”. Heavy gunfire and multiple explosions could be heard coming from the terminal, used for VIP flights and cargo. A major fire rose from the airport, illuminating the night sky in an orange glow as the silhouettes of jets could be seen. Peace talks between the government and the Pakistani Taliban have failed in recent months, dampening hopes of reaching a negotiated settlement with the insurgency, which continues attacks against government and security targets. Pakistan’s Taliban are allied with but separate from the Afghan Taliban.

Ten militants aged between 20 and 25 have been killed by security forces. A large cache of arms and ammunition has been recovered from the militants.

a spokesman for the paramilitary Rangers force

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