New Delhi:
Major General Sher Afgan, chief of the paramilitary Frontier Corps, told reporters Tuesday that the attackers appeared to be in contact with handlers in Afghanistan. He said the attackers belonged to the banned Lashker-e-Jhangvi Al-Almi group, an Islamic militant group affiliated with al-Qaida.
In a gruesome terror attack on Pakistan police academy in Quetta, at least 60 people were killed and over 100 others injured even as 3 terrorists were gunned down by security forces.
The three terrorists, believed to be from the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Alami, had stormed the centre’s hostel on Saryab Road at around 11:10 PM last night, triggering an operation by Pakistani security forces who managed to rescue all the cadets from the academy.
Balochistan province’s home minister, Mir Sarfaraz Bugti told reporters that there were around 700 police cadets and recruits in the college hostel when the attack took place.
As far as what I saw it does not mention about battle casualty fund it says army welfare fund thats a separate fund: Manohar Parrikar
— ANI (@ANI_news) October 25, 2016
Let me express grief for any loss, we do not believe in any kind of violence: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on #QuettaTerrorAttack pic.twitter.com/fXbo4JAq2o
— ANI (@ANI_news) Also read: Pakistan freezes bank accounts of over 5,000 terror suspects, including JeM chief Masood Azhar
While two of the militants had blown themselves up, one was killed in an exchange of fire with security forces, he said.
#WATCH Terror attack on police training academy in Quetta (Pak),at least 33 killed, several injured. 3 terrorists gunned down #QuettaAttack pic.twitter.com/pzS0Ltc728
— ANI (@ANI_news) October 25, 2016“Security forces including the Frontier Corps and Pakistan Army light brigade have cleared 99 per cent of the college area,” Bugti said, adding that the number of dead policemen could rise to 30.
Pakistan’s Geo News channel, meanwhile, reported that bodies of 29 policemen were brought to the Civil hospital and Bolan Medical College hospital adding that 116 people were injured.
IG Frontier Corps, Major General Sher Afghan told reporters that the militants were communicating with handlers in Afghanistan and taking instructions from them.
“They are believed to be militants of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Alami outfit,” he said.
A policeman who was guarding the only entry point of the college was among those gunned down.
Militants have conducted several attacks against security forces and national installations in Balochistan, which has been plagued by an insurgency and growing sectarian killings for more than a decade.
#WATCH At least 33 killed, many injured in #QuettaTerrorAttack on police training academy, 3 terrorists killed. Injured being taken to hosp pic.twitter.com/NkqJ65TPc1
— ANI (@ANI_news) October 25, 2016Neither Lashker-e-Jhangvi nor any other group has claimed responsibility for the attack. But the Islamic State group and breakaway Taliban faction Jamaat-ul Ahrar have claimed responsibility for past attacks in Baluchistan. Lashker-e-Jhangvi has mainly targeted members of minority Shiite sect of Muslims.
