In Pakistan, terrorists struck Lahore in a big way today, storming Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency building and attacking two police training centres in synchronised attacks. As per latest reports,at least eleven people have been killed and several injured in fierce exchanges of fire with police.<br/><br/>Police said,three separate groups of terrorists carried out the attacks a little after 9.15 am. The terrorists exchanged heavy gunfire with police at the FIA office on Temple Road, the Elite Force police training centre at Bedian Road near the airport and the police training centre at Manawan on the outskirts of Lahore.<br/><br/>Lahore Police Commissioner Khusro Pervez said the FIA building was cleared almost two hours after it was assaulted by the terrorists. He said seven persons, including three FIA personnel and an attacker, were killed and three others injured in the incident. <br/><br/>The terrorists who assaulted 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. Reports quoting Lahore police, say four police men were killed in the attack.<br/><br/>Several loud explosions were heard from within the Bedian Road centre. Dozens of ambulances rushed to the site to take the dead and injured to nearby hospitals.<br/><br/>The exact number of terrorists involved in the three attacks could not immediately be ascertained. TV news channels said groups of five to six terrorists each carried out the attacks on the FIA office and the Manawan centre. They reported that up to 10 terrorists were involved in the attack at the Bedian Road centre.<br/><br/>Interior Minister Rehman Malik said the situation in under control and there is no need for any panic reaction. He said the perpetrators are carrying out an agenda and the handlers behind the attacks do not want peace. Mr.Malik said all the four provinces have been put on red alert and security has been beefed up at all the key installations.<br/><br/>The FIA office that was attacked this morning is located next to another building of the same agency that was targeted by a suicide car bomber on March 11 last year. That attack killed 24 people and injured scores.<br/><br/>In March this year, terrorists had stormed the police training centre at Manawan, killing eight policemen and<br/>injuring 90 others.<br/><br/>Today's attack was also part of a new trend of terrorists storming the facilities of security agencies. Last week, a group of terrorists attempted to storm the Pakistan Army's General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. Nine attackers and 14 security personnel and civilian employees of the armed forces died in the assault.
News On AIR | October 15, 2009 11:58 AM
Terrorists attack Pak's FIA HQrs & several security bldgs; 14 security personnel & nine attackers killed in encounter