Unleashing a fresh wave of terror, suspected Taliban militants, including women, today stormed a Federal Investigation Agency office and two police training units in near-simultaneous attacks in Pakistan's Lahore city sparking fierce gun battles that killed at least 23 people.<br/>Among those killed in the attacks that took place a little after 9.15 am local time were five terrorists while the rest were security personnel and civilians. At least 18 people were also injured in the strikes. Police said three groups of terrorists carried out the attacks, exchanging heavy gunfire with security forces at the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) office on Temple Road located close to Mall Road, the Elite Force police training centre at Bedian Road and another police training facility at Manawan on the outskirts of Lahore.<br/>Capital City Police Officer Pervaiz Rathore said security forces had successfully thwarted the attacks on the FIA office and the police training facility at Manawan.<br/>However, TV news channels reported that terrorists had taken some security personnel hostage at the facility at Bedian Road. Police officials at the site told PTI that two inspectors and four civilians died in the attack on the FIA office .<br/>Guards deployed at the gate stopped the attacker before he could enter the FIA office. Security forces evacuated the office and nearby buildings and launched a search for terrorists still believed to be in the area.<br/>The terrorists who attacked the police training centres at Bedian Road and Manawan lobbed several grenades and traded fire with policemen and paramilitary Pakistan Rangers troops that surrounded the facilities. Six security personnel and four terrorists were killed at the Manawan facility.<br/>Reports said 13 terrorists, including three women, attacked the training facility at Bedian Road. Six persons were killed in the attack. Lahore Police Commissioner Khusro Pervez said the terrorists were heavily-armed and had explosives.<br/>Army commandos were called in to end the terrorist siege at Bedian Road. Pervez said the terrorists had been isolated in a section of the facility and security forces are working to get hold of them as soon as possible. Several loud explosions were heard from within the Bedian Road centre. Dozens of ambulances rushed to the site to take<br/>the dead and injured to nearby hospitals.<br/>Today's attack is seen as part of a new trend of terrorists storming the facilities of security agencies. Last week, a group of terrorists attempted to storm<br/>Pakistan Army's General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. Nine attackers and 14 security personnel and civilian employees of the armed forces had died in the assault. ‘