Karachi (zeropoint9) Officials reported that militants carried out a deadly suicide attack on Friday at the police headquarters in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city. The attack lasted for several hours, and the sound of gunfire and explosions was heard in the heart of the city. As a result, three security force members and a civilian were killed. and 18 security force members were injured.
Two suicide bombers entered the police building, who were killed, and at least one of them blew himself up. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack in a brief statement. Government officials confirmed that police and paramilitary forces conducted a joint operation to clear the police building, which was successfully completed within three hours of the attack.
The President of Pakistan condemned the attack, while the Prime Minister paid tribute to the security forces. TV footage showed officers surrounding the city’s central police station while residents reported the sound of explosions and gunfire earlier.
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said some of the militants threw hand grenades as they tried to force their way into the police headquarters.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in militant attacks since November when Pakistani Taliban ended a months long cease-fire with the government.
Pakistan’s outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban are a separate group but are allies of the Taliban in Afghanistan. who seized power there more than a year ago as U.S. and NATO troops withdrew. The Taliban takeover in Afghanistan encouraged Pakistani militants, whose top leaders and fighters are hiding across the border.
The shameless assault on Karachi’s police headquarters comes two weeks after a suicide bomber disguised as a policeman killed 101 people at a mosque in Peshawar.
Authorities blamed the TTP for orchestrating last month’s mosque bombing and Sarbakaf Mohmand, a TTP commander, claimed responsibility for it.
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