KARACHI, Pakistan - Pakistani commandos backed by helicopters on Monday hunted down a group of heavily armed Taliban fighters who laid siege to a naval base in the country's largest city and sparked an hours-long clash that destroyed two U.S.-supplied surveillance aircraft and killed at least seven people, officials said.
The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was part of their revenge for the May 2 U.S. raid that killed al-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden. The insurgents' ability to penetrate the facility further rattled a military establishment already humiliated by the unilateral American raid, and raised the possibility that the Taliban had inside help.
At least six navy personnel and a paramilitary Ranger were killed, while 14 security personnel were wounded in fighting at the Naval Station Mehran, navy spokesman Irfan ul Haq said. It was unclear how many militants were killed or wounded. But between 10 and 15 attackers entered the high-security facility before splitting into smaller groups, setting off explosions and hiding in the sprawling facility, Haq said.
People are also reading…
He added that the militants were "not in possession of anything" when asked about reports of hostages being held.
The militants attacked the base from three sides and had control of one building as of this morning, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said. Navy helicopters were flying over the base in search of the attackers.
"Because of the presence of several assets on the base, the operation is being carried out in a cautious, smart way," Haq said, referring to military aircraft. "That's why it's taking so long."
The unilateral U.S. raid on bin Laden's compound in the northwest Pakistani garrison city of Abbottabad has triggered a strong backlash here against Washington as well as rare domestic criticism of the armed forces for failing to detect or prevent the American operation. Pakistani leaders insist they had no idea the al-Qaida boss had been hiding in Abbottabad.
In claiming responsibility, Pakistani Taliban spokesman Ahsanullah Ahsan said the attack was part of their planned response to the death of the al-Qaida chief, and that Pakistan is the top target.
The Pakistani Taliban hate the government in Islamabad because of its alliance with the U.S. and because, under American prodding, the Pakistani army has staged offensives aimed at its insurgents.
This is the third major attack the group has claimed since the bin Laden killing, including a car bombing that slightly injured American consulate workers in the northwest city of Peshawar and a twin-suicide attack that killed around 90 Pakistani paramilitary police recruits.
Sunday's raid appeared to be the most serious against the military since October 2009, when militants attacked the army headquarters close to the capital, Islamabad. They held dozens hostage in a 22-hour standoff that left 23 people dead, including nine militants.
