In Pakistan, commandos have regained control of a key military airbase in Karachi after 16 hours of gun battles. 10 security personnel and four militants were killed in the battle. Two US-made P3C Orion maritime surveillance planes were also destroyed in the action. Heavily armed Taliban fighters made the brazen attack on PNS Mehran, the naval air station within Faisal airbase, at about 10.40 pm on Sunday night. After destroying the US made planes, the attackers exchanged heavy fire with security forces within the airbase before holing up in several buildings. Scores of elite naval and army commandos were brought in to flush out the terrorists and the operation to clear the airbase ended Monday afternoon. Interior Minister Rehman Malik told reporters that 10 security personnel, including a navy lieutenant and three naval commandos, were killed and 15 others injured. He said the attack was carried out by about six terrorists, four of whom had died while two got away.
News On AIR | May 24, 2011 10:10 AM
Taliban siege of Pak's Mehran air base ends; 14 killed